Archetypes and the ‘Impoverished Genome’ argument: updates from evolutionary genetics

Throughout his career, Jung felt the psyche had ‘ancestral layers’ that contained elements of an individual’s species history, and clinical experience has shown that this idea can be an aid to psychological healing and emotional well-being. Thus, some later thinkers have attempted to link such theoretical constructs to the genome, as Jung had little knowledge of genetics in his day. But in the early 2000s, genome studies suggested that the genome might contain too little content to be capable of encoding symbolic information. This opinion gave rise to an oft-repeated ‘impoverished genome’ argument, i.e. that the genome could not provide a significant contribution to the collective unconscious, prompting theorists to propose other sources for it, or to argue that it doesn’t exist. Today, however, developments in evolutionary neurogenetics calls the impoverished genome argument into question for a number of independent reasons. These developments re-open the idea that the genome may be worth reconsidering as the biological substrate for the collective unconscious.     

Psychometric properties and validation of the Swedish Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in a clinical and non-clinical sample among meditators and non-meditators

Over a period of 15 years several attempts to conceptualize mindfulness have been presented and revised, but there is still no clear or agreed-upon definition. The use of mindfulness-based interventions has increased in clinical and research settings the last couple of years, including in Sweden. As a clinician it is crucial to know if a treatment works through the theoretically postulated mechanisms of change. Mindfulness is a concept that is difficult to measure. The overall aim of the current project was to examine the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ_SWE) using three different studies. To test the construct validity of the FFMQ_SWE a hierarchal confirmatory factor analysis was performed in a meditating non-clinical sample, to examine if all the five facets would load on an overall mindfulness construct. Psychometric properties of the instrument were examined in a non-clinical and a clinical sample, and discriminative relationships with other variables were analysed. The convergent validity was examined by analysing the correlations between FFMQ_SWE and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Sense of Coherence and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Test-retest reliability was tested by distributing FFMQ_SWE at two occasions. The hierarchal confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit in a population of meditators. The FFMQ_SWE showed good convergent validity and test-retest reliability in both clinical and non-clinical populations. In sum, the Swedish version of the FFMQ showed good psychometric properties and can be a useful instrument as an evaluation of treatment effects in both health care settings and research settings.     

Social overstimulation reduces subsequent aggression in Betta splendens

This paper examines the waning of intense aggressive behaviors in Siamese fighting fish subjected to continuous visual social stimulation. Damaging biting during subsequent fighting was dramatically reduced in fish which had been surrounded for several weeks by conspecifics, even though the overstimulated fish performed only opercular and fin displays to the fish surrounding them, not biting. The latency to opercular display was diminished, but the rate once opercular display began was not significantly different. In the 18 encounters observed, a socially overstimulated fish never dominated a control fish. This result suggests a visually mediated mechanism, which reduces biting tendency when there is prolonged, inescapable visual exposure to mildly aggression-releasing stimuli similar to those which trigger biting in live encounters. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

儿童虐待与问题行为：基因与环境的作用

当前预防虐待之所以成为儿童保护的重要内容,不仅是法理上的儿童权益保护,也因虐待关联的基因与环境作用对人发展的长期影响。儿童虐待与问题行为关系复杂,已有研究显示,虐待特征、受害者特点是其关联因素,但其内在机制并不清楚。随着分子遗传学的兴起,MAOA、COMT、5-HTT等基因为解释儿童虐待与问题行为的机制提供新视角,重要候选基因可能调节这一关系。未来研究可从动物模型和纵向追踪角度去探究儿童虐待与问题行为关系的易感期、保护因子,完善儿童虐待与个体发展关系的研究图谱。     

学习能力与学习障碍的遗传学： 英国的近期发展和中国的研究的可能方向

中国的行为遗传学诞生在遗传学突飞猛进的时代,令人振奋。作为一个新兴学科,中国的行为遗传学研究可以避免走前人的弯路,而成为领先而不是滞后的领域。以学习能力的研究为例,计量行为遗传学可以避免“性与养”（nature vs. nurture）的争论而直接研究一些遗传学与心理学里有意义的问题,包括正常与异常、稳定与变动、同质与异质的关系等问题。尤为重要的是超越“性与养”的争论而直接研究遗传对行为的影响。本文也扼要介绍了英国“双生子早期发展”项目的计量行为遗传学和“全基因组关联”对学习能力研究的结果。可以预计,飞速发展的遗传学发现将会持续一些时日,其发展将会对中国和世界的心理学产生更大的影响     

The Fear of Understanding Schizophrenia and Iatrogenic Myths

Empirically, psychotherapy with a competent therapist is the optimal, but rarely offered treatment, for schizophrenia. Medication or ECT produces less disturbing, lifelong cripples. Within 25 years one-third spontaneously recover completely (unless they stay on medication), and another third socially recover. Nazi Germany sterilized and annihilated patients without decreasing mental disorders in the next generation. Schizophrenia is a terror syndrome. The therapist must create a therapeutic alliance by creating hope and tolerating not understanding. Hallucinations are waking dreams. Delusions are transferences, defenses against pseudohomosexuality, family-specific meanings, or attempts to make sense out of strange experiences.     

Ethical and Professional Challenges Posed by Patients with Genetic Concerns: A Report of Focus Group Discussions with Genetic Counselors, Physicians, and Nurses

Ninety-seven physicians, nurses, and genetic counselors from four regions within the United States participated in focus groups to identify the types of ethical and professional challenges that arise when their patients have genetic concerns. Responses were taped and transcribed and then analyzed using the Hill et al. (1997, Counsel Psychol 25:517–522) Consensual Qualitative Research method of analysis. Sixteen major ethical and professional domains and 63 subcategories were identified. Major domains are informed consent; withholding information; facing uncertainty; resource allocation; value conflicts; directiveness/nondirectiveness; determining the primary patient; professional identity issues; emotional responses; diversity issues; confidentiality; attaining/maintaining proficiency; professional misconduct; discrimination; colleague error; and documentation. Implications for practitioners who deal with genetic issues and recommendations for additional research are given.     

Talent Development as a Multidimensional, Multiplicative, and Dynamic Process

Recent empirical research has challenged the common belief in the existence of talent, suggesting that exceptional performance is entirely the product of nurture rather than nature. However, this research has been based on a simple conception of what talent entails. Rather than involving a unidimensional, additive, and static genetic process, talent may instead emerge from a multidimensional, multiplicative, and dynamic process. This latter possibility is described in a two-part model that combines multidimensional and multiplicative inheritance with dynamic development. The first part of the model handles domain specificity, profile heterogeneity, the distribution of individual differences, familial heritability, and domain complexity. The second part explicates early- versus late-bloomers, early signs of talent, talent loss, and shifts in the domain of talent. The resulting model has crucial implications for how best to gauge the impact of nature in the development of talent.     

THE CRISPR APPLE ON THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: CRISPR IN SCIENCE,ETHICS, AND RELIGION

The Institute on Religion in the Age of Science (IRAS) asked Ted Peters, an eminent theologian and bioethicist who was at the forefront of the cloning and stem cell debates in the past few decades, and myself, a molecular biologist, to invite scholars from various fields to brainstorm the religious and ethical implications of the CRISPR revolution. We invited keynote speakers, whose talks will be covered here, as well as other speakers and poster presentations. The conference also hosted question and answer sessions, chaplain sessions, and discussions throughout the week at the beautiful Star Island in the summer of 2019. The purpose of this paper is to highlight and sample the discussions and presentations from that conference. I will organize them into three broad topics: CRISPR in science, ethics, and religion. For readers unfamiliar with CRISPR technology, this overview can also serve as an introduction to the field, and a stepping stone for future ideas for CRISPR discussions.