Happiness in shrinking cities in Germany

After decades of urban growth, modern societies now face an increasing number of shrinking cities. What is the impact on the inhabitants of shrinkage of their city? Negative effects dominate in the public discourse, but does growth or shrinkage really matter for the livability in urban environment? In this paper, I take stock of the effect on subjective well-being in present day Germany. Overall satisfaction with life appears not to be lower in shrinking cities and satisfaction with several domains of life even higher. This is not because inhabitants are unaware of the situation of their city, since they appear to be more concerned about job-chances and crime.     

Living well: a self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia

This article distinguishes between hedonic and eudaimonic approaches to wellness, with the former focusing on the outcome of happiness or pleasure and the latter focusing not so much on outcomes as on the process of living well. We present a model of eudaimonia that is based in self-determination theory, arguing that eudaimonic living can be characterized in terms of four motivational concepts: (1) pursuing intrinsic goals and values for their own sake, including personal growth, relationships, community, and health, rather than extrinsic goals and values, such as wealth, fame, image, and power; (2) behaving in autonomous, volitional, or consensual ways, rather than heteronomous or controlled ways; (3) being mindful and acting with a sense of awareness; and (4) behaving in ways that satisfy basic psychological needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. In fact, we theorize that the first three of these aspects of eudaimonic living have their positive effects of psychological and physical wellness because they facilitate satisfaction of these basic, universal psychological needs. Studies indicate that people high in eudaimonic living tend to behave in more prosocial ways, thus benefiting the collective as well as themselves, and that conditions both within the family and in society more generally contribute toward strengthening versus diminishing the degree to which people live eudaimonic lives.     

Quality of Life and General Health Perception in Women with Obesity

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in general health status and quality of life between patients who present “non-normative eating behaviours” (namely, binge eating disorder, night eating syndrome, sweet /fat food cravings and continuous nibbling) and patients without these eating behaviour characteristics. A cohort of 168 women with obesity, all candidates to bariatric surgery, aged between 15 and 65 (M = 39.04; SD = 10.86), with a body mass index ranging between 30.37 and 80.65 (M = 48.79; SD = 8.37), was studied. Participants answered to a clinical interview, to SF-36 and to ORWELL-97, after their informed consent. Results suggest that women with obesity reporting binge eating disorder, night eating syndrome and continuous nibbling show poorer general health status and worst quality of life than those who do not present these “non-normative eating behaviours”. Moreover, the general health status and the quality of life of patients with sweet/fat food cravings do not differ from those who do not report this eating behaviour. Nevertheless, patients reporting the eating behaviours studied do not differ from the others regarding their body mass index.     

The Sixteen Strivings for God

Abstract. A psychological theory of religious experiences, sensitivity theory, is proposed. Whereas other theories maintain that religious motivation is about a few overarching desires, sensitivity theory provides a multifaceted analysis consistent with the diversity, richness, and individuality of religious experiences. Sixteen basic desires show the psychological foundations of meaningful experience. Each basic desire is embraced by every person, but to different extents. How we prioritize the basic desires expresses our individuality and influences our attraction to various religious images and activities. Each basic desire is associated with a basic goal and a unique joy, such as love, self‐worth, relaxation, or strength. We do not seek to experience joys infinitely; we regulate joys, in accordance with our core values, to sixteen balance points (sensitivities) that vary based on individuality. Religions help persons of faith regulate the sixteen basic joys by providing some images that strengthen joyful experiences and others that weaken them. We can strengthen our experience of self‐ worth, for example, by contemplating God in the image of savior; we can weaken our experience of self‐worth by contemplating original sin. The theory of sixteen basic desires is testable scientifically and suggests such philosophical concepts as value‐based happiness.     

从乳腺癌患者的生活质量谈医学模式的转变

随着医学模式从生物医学模式向生物-心理-社会医学模式的转变,乳腺癌患者的生活质量亦日益引起社会的普遍关注.至今,许多通科医生的医学模式还没有完全转变过来.只有医学模式的彻底改变,才能真正提高乳腺癌患者的生活质量.介绍生活质量的概念、影响因素,以及乳腺癌患者的生活质量与医学模式的关系.     

Determinants of social integration in the community: an exploratory analysis of personal,interpersonal and situational variables

This article aims to explore the effects of personal, interpersonal, and situational variables on social integration in the community. Structural equation analyses from two‐wave panel data (N = 536) of adult participants living in an urban area showed that personal determinants (perceived stress and depressive mood), and situational determinants (undesirable life events) were statistically related to a decrease in social integration in the community. Interpersonal determinants (emotional, guidance, and instrumental support) were positively associated with an increase in social integration in the community. Implications of these and other findings are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of a Brief Group Based Psychological/Educational Treatment Programme for Women with an Iatrogenic Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Thirty-two women with an iatrogenic chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were assigned to a treatment or waiting list control group and completed the SF-36, GHQ30, Battles SE, and two in-house questionnaires. A series of mixed model ANOVAs indicated a significant Group × Time effect for SF-36 physical functioning (F = 9.01, p < .01) and a series of repeated measures ANOVAs (treatment group only) indicated a significant time effect for a sustained improvement in psychological well-being (F = 8.01, p < .01) at 3 months posttreatment. Furthermore, most women posttreatment felt more positive and informed about their illness, had more confidence, and reported a greater ability to control and cope with their lives. Psychological/educational treatment programmes show promise for increasing adjustment and coping in women with an iatrogenic HCV infection and may be modified for use in other HCV cohorts.     

女性犯罪者的人格、应付方式、情境因素与犯罪行为研究

采用问卷法,对434名6类犯罪女性的人格、应付方式、情境因素(社会支持、负面生活事件)与犯罪行为的关系进行研究。结果表明,女性犯罪者的人格、应付方式、负面生活事件对不同犯罪类型的女性犯罪行为有不同预测力,不同女性犯罪类型有不同的回归方程;社会支持对女性犯罪行为的影响不显著。     

认知能力的毕生发展及其分离性和个体差异性研究

研究认知能力毕生发展过程及其分离性和个体差异性的变化。被试 1 993名 (1 0 - 90岁 ) ,完成加工速度、工作记忆、心算、空间表象和记忆再认等认知测验。结果表明 :1 )认知能力发展的发展在 1 6 - 1 9岁组达到高峰 ,2 0岁后随增龄而逐渐下降 ,不同认知能力发展的分离性在 60岁后明显增大 ;2 )几乎所有测验的个体差异性在 2 0岁之前随增龄而减小 ,在 2 0岁之后随增龄而增大 ;3)教育因素对认知能力老化过程的分离性和个体差异性有明显影响。     

自传记忆线索提取发展的实验研究

自传记忆是关于个人生活的记忆。发展心理学家以生命历程的视野来研究自传记忆的发生、发展、变化是自传记忆研究的重要组成部分。自传记忆的形成和发展可分为三个阶段 :即童年期遗忘、回忆高峰、自传记忆近因期。本实验采用 2 (提取方式 :顺时、自由回忆 )× 2 (性别 :男、女 )× 8(年龄 :8个年龄组 )混合设计 ,结果发现 :(1 )顺时提取与自由提取两种提取方式对自传记忆的提取存在年龄差异 ,不仅有提取速度的差异 ,也存在提取内容的差异。 (2 ) 8个年龄段两种提取条件下的平均提取速度具有一致的趋同性 ,呈U型曲线 ,存在自传记忆的回忆高峰。 (3)自传记忆的跨生命历程提取不存在性别差异 ,年龄、性别、提取方式间不存在交互作用。 (4) 8个年龄段自传记忆的提取速度、提取内容与个人各年龄的生活主题存在内在关联。 (5)从提取机制支持Conway关于生命历程自传记忆发展的三阶段假设