The Social Phobia and Social Interaction Anxiety Scales: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties

The present investigations examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of two new self-report measures of social phobia, the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Social Phobia Scale (SPS). A confirmatory factor analysis in Study I provided support for the fit of a two-factor model of the SIAS and SPS. Internal consistency estimates were high for the original two scales with a sample of 200 undergraduates. Also, using an item parceling procedure, the obtained internal consistency reliability indices for each parcel were acceptable. Results of the CFA in Study II provided support for the factorial stability of the model identified in Study I. Furthermore, multisample analyses showed invariant patterns for factor loadings and factor correlations across 138 men and 272 women. Gender differences were not observed in the mean SIAS and SPS scale and item scores. Both scales correlated negatively and significantly with measures of social desirability. Concurrent validity was established for the scales. The SPS was less specific than the SIAS to symptoms of social phobia.     

On Legal Order: Some Criticism of the Received View

The author discusses a number of topics related to the concept of legal order and the structure of legal orders. In particular, the following theses are challenged: (1) legal orders are sets of rules; (2) the criterion of membership to such sets is validity; (3) legal orders are dynamic sets; (4) legal orders are provided with a hierarchical configuration; (5) legal orders are coherent and consistent sets.     

A processing model for the analysis of one-way arguments in discourse

This paper describes a computational model for analyzing arguments in discourse. In particular, the model describes processes necessary for interpreting one uninterrupted argument from a speaker. The resulting output is a representation for the underlying claim and evidence relations between propositions of the argument. For our processing model we present: (i) a characterization of coherent orderings of propositions, used to limit search for interpretation of each new proposition (ii) a working definition of the evidence relation, used to recognize connections between propositions (iii) a theory of the function and use of clue words — special words and phrases indicating the structure of the argument — then used in the analysis to control search for interpretation and verification of evidence relations.     

Is the Catholic Church in America Experiencing Internal Secularization? Priests’ Assessments of Pope Francis and the Condition of the Church

This study addressed internal secularization in the Catholic Church by testing the role of several factors in priests’ assessments of the state of the Church in the United States, priests’ views of whether the Church's situation is getting better or worse, and their attitudes toward Pope Francis. Comparisons with identical questions fielded in 2002 revealed a striking pessimistic turn among priests over the last two decades. In addition, regression analyses using the 2021 Survey of American Catholic Priests revealed that “in-house” factors—namely, attitudes toward Pope Francis and perceptions of how well bishops have restored confidence in the Catholic Church following the sexual abuse crisis—most powerfully predicted priests’ current pessimism. On top of this, politically conservative priests and priests ordained more recently tended to be most critical of how Francis is handling his duties, signaling a pronounced tension inside the Catholic Church over religious authority, a defining feature of internal secularization.     

Correctly responding to reasons while being means-end incoherent

This paper argues that Reason Responsiveness (RR) accounts of rationality, proposed for example by Benjamin Kiesewetter and Error Lord, fail to explain structural irrationality (i.e., the irrationality involved in holding incoherent attitudes). Proponents of RR hold that rationality consists in correctly responding to available reasons. Structural irrationality, they argue, is just a “by-product” of incorrect reason-responding. Applying this idea to cases of means–end incoherence, this paper shows that RR accounts must rely on a certain transmission principle. Roughly, this amounts to the principle that necessarily, if (1) A has decisive available reason to intend to E and (2) A has decisive available reason to believe that intending to M is necessary for E-ing, it follows that (3) A has decisive available reason to intend to M. By considering an example, this paper argues that even the most plausible version of this transmission principle does not hold true. It follows that one can correctly respond to one's available reasons while being means–end incoherent.     

Partners' internal stress and well-being: The role of dyadic coping and problem resolution

Couples' experiences of daily stress can be detrimental for partners' individual and relational well-being, specifically their identity as a couple, their relational satisfaction, and their life satisfaction. Grounded in the Systemic Transactional Model, this study aimed at analyzing factors that may safeguard partners and their relationship from detrimental effects of internal stress (i.e., stress that originates inside the relationship). We examined the buffering effect of partners' positive dyadic coping and internal problem resolution. Daily diary data were collected across 7 days from 82 heterosexual couples. Multilevel dyadic analyses showed that internal stress was negatively associated with partners' individual and relational well-being. Positive dyadic coping moderated the association between partners' internal stress and couple satisfaction for both partners, but not life satisfaction and couple identity. Moreover, for partners who reported a resolution to the internal problem, the negative associations of internal stress with life satisfaction, couple satisfaction, and couple identity were significantly lower than for those who did not resolve the internal problem. This study confirms the negative role of internal stress on well-being, shows the associations between internal stress and couple identity, and highlights the protective role of dyadic coping and internal problem resolution in couples' daily lives.     

从母亲的敏感性到学步儿的依恋安全性：内部工作模式的桥梁作用

采用视觉习惯化实验程序、陌生情境技术及母亲行为Q分类方法对41名14个月的学步儿及其母亲进行了学步儿内部工作模式、学步儿在陌生情境中的依恋类型以及母亲在母婴互动中的敏感性的评估。结果发现：(1)不安全型的学步儿预期看护者对他们痛苦的信号是无回应的。(2)以自身为中心的母亲的学步儿预期看护者是无回应的。(3)潜类别分析的结果发现母亲敏感性影响学步儿依恋行为的2种关系模式：类别1, 以孩子为中心的母亲的学步儿更容易形成看护者是有回应的预期, 持这种预期的学步儿在陌生情境程序中表现出安全依恋行为; 类别2, 以自身为中心的母亲养育出的学步儿更容易对看护者形成无回应的预期, 并在陌生情境中表现出不安全依恋行为。研究表明：内部工作模式在母亲的敏感性和学步儿的依恋安全性之间起着重要的内部机制作用—— 母亲的敏感性行为的累积促进了学步儿内部工作模式关于母亲的预期, 这种预期又进一步引导着学步儿的依恋行为。     

篇章阅读理解中句子边界对整体连贯性的影响

通过四个实验考察句子边界对整体连贯性的影响。实验运用不一致程序(inconsistent paradigm)进行。实验一结果发现,当目标行1(target line)不是一个完整句子时,被试阅读完目标行2(post-target line)后才会意识到目标行1中的不一致。实验二结果发现,当目标行1是一个完整句子时,被试阅读完目标行1后就可立刻意识到其中的不一致,但探测词的反应时在两种条件下则并没有明显差异。这两个实验的结果表明,句子边界作为一种信号,提示读者在阅读下一句子前要完成当前句子的整合加工。实验三结果发现,目标行1以一个无关词(如然后)结束时,被试阅读完目标行1后也可立刻注意到其中的不一致,这表明句号对背景信息的整合不是必需的。实验四考察了分号的作用,结果显示:被试阅读完目标行1后并没有意识到其中的冲突。根据本研究的结果,可以推测句号在理解过程中起着重要影响,而其它句子边界(如:分号)的作用则并不明显。     

语篇阅读理解中人物性格模型的建构

采用实时窗口阅读技术,通过操纵特征段落性质和屏蔽段落长度两个变量,探讨人物性格模型在语篇阅读中的建构和影响因素。在研究所用材料中,特征段落描述能反映主人公性格的典型行为或不能反映其性格的一般行为,使其与目标句分别形成冲突或无关关系,考察读者能否利用这些内隐式的行为描述建构人物的性格模型。同时,改变屏蔽段落长度,形成局部或整体联贯两种条件,考察不同联贯类型的影响作用。结果发现：在不论整体还是局部联贯条件下,读者均能利用内隐的行为描述建构人物性格模型,并能应用该模型预期人物的后续行为。     

关于城市居民心理凝聚感与压力源关系的研究

使用问卷测试方式对城市居民的心理凝聚感和压力源之问的关系进行研究。结果发现,在7种压力源因子和压力源总分中,经济收支和工作压力、家庭生活事件、知识技能更新3个压力源因子和压力源总分在三个级别的心理凝聚感组之间存在显著差异,心理凝聚感水平高的被试,对外界工作生活事件产生了最低的压力评价。职业、经济收入不同的群体在心理凝聚感的得分上存在显著的差异,经济收入高的个体有较高的心理凝聚感。说明不同心理凝聚感水平的被试面对相同的工作生活压力,其压力认知评价存在差异。