Cognitive assessment: A multibehavior-multimethod-multiperspective approach

Clarifying methodological and assessment issues is fundamental to the further development of cognitive-behavioral approaches. The present work examines potential method confounds in several cognitive assessment techniques (e.g., self-statement inventories, postperformance videotape reconstruction) in light of social psychological research on objective self-awareness. On the basis of this analysis, a conceptual framework is proposed to organize research on the assessment of clinical cognition.     

Metamemory Experiments in Neurological Populations: A Review

Metamemory refers to knowledge about one's memory capabilities and strategies that can aid memory, as well as the processes involved in memory self-monitoring. Although metamemory has been studied in cognitive psychology for several decades, there have been fewer studies investigating the neuropsychology of metamemory. In recent years, a growing number of studies of neurological patient groups have been conducted in order to investigate the neural correlates of metamemory. In this review, we examine the neuropsychological evidence that the frontal lobes are critically involved in monitoring and control processes, which are the central components of metamemory. The following conclusions are drawn from this literature: (1) There is a strong correlation between indices of frontal lobe function or structural integrity and metamemory accuracy (2) The combination of frontal lobe dysfunction and poor memory severely impairs metamemorial processes (3) Metamemory tasks vary in subject performance levels, and quite likely, in the underlying processes these different tasks measure, and (4) Metamemory, as measured by experimental tasks, may dissociate from basic memory retrieval processes and from global judgments of memory.     

The roots of self-awareness

In this paper we provide an account of the structural underpinnings of self-awareness. We offer both an abstract, logical account – by way of suggestions for how to build a genuinely self-referring artificial agent – and a biological account, via a discussion of the role of somatoception in supporting and structuring self-awareness more generally. Central to the account is a discussion of the necessary motivational properties of self-representing mental tokens, in light of which we offer a novel definition of self-representation. We also discuss the role of such tokens in organizing self-specifying information, which leads to a naturalized restatement of the guarantee that introspective awareness is immune to error due to mis-identification of the subject.     

The Impact of Virginia Satir on Prevention of Destructive Behaviors and Promotion of Wellness

SUMMARY

This paper reviews the impact of Virginia Satir's communication work as reflected in the Say It Straight program for prevention of destructive behaviors and promotion of wellness with young people, parents and other adults in many settings such as classrooms, student support groups, juvenile detention, cooperative learning teams, chemical dependency treatment and prison. Results of 13 years of research and training with the Say It Straight program show the applicability of Virginia's work in preventing alcohol/drug related school suspensions, juvenile criminal offenses, precocious sexuality/pregnancy, and in promoting good communication skills, self-esteem, positive relationships, and quality of life.     

Searching for the Self: Early Phenomenological Accounts of Self-Consciousness from Lotze to Scheler

Abstract

Phenomenological accounts of self-consciousness are often said to combine two elements by means of a necessary connection: the primitive and irreducible subjective character of experiences and the idealist transcendental constitution of consciousness. In what follows I argue that this connection is not necessary in order for an account of self-consciousness to be phenomenological, as shown by early phenomenological accounts of self-consciousness – particularly in Munich phenomenology. First of all, I show that the account of self-consciousness defended by these phenomenologists was not influenced as much by Husserl as by two important figures in the prehistory of phenomenology: their teacher Theodor Lipps, and – indirectly, through Lipps’ influence – Hermann Lotze. Second, I show that their account of self-consciousness takes the metaphysical realism underlying Lotze’s and Lipps’ views on the distinction between feeling and sensations seriously. I argue that this distinction played a central role in the development of many early phenomenological accounts of self-consciousness.     

The Relationship Between Momentary States of Therapist Self-Awareness and Perceptions of the Counseling Process

To investigate the role of momentary self-awareness, beginning therapists and their volunteer clients participated in a postsession process recall in which therapist helpfulness and momentary self-awareness were assessed along with client reactions. Therapist anxiety levels and strategies used to manage hindering self-awareness were also examined. Results suggest that momentary states of heightened therapist self-awareness may be hindering. Specifically, when therapists rated themselves as more self-aware from moment to moment during counseling sessions, they also rated themselves as more anxious before the session and their clients rated them as less helpful during the session. In addition, therapists reported using a variety of strategies to manage distracting self-awareness, including focusing on intervention planning and focusing on the client. Implications for therapist training are discussed.     

自我觉知的适应、不适应性及其在心理疗法中的作用

自我觉知是当注意力指向个体自身时对自己所产生的内部主观状态,根据其指向及程度可以有多种分类方法。自我觉知在心理过程中既有适应性,如促进自我了解、对他人的理解、提高自尊等;但过度的自我觉知会对心理产生不良影响,诸多研究对其与抑郁和焦虑的关系进行了论证。很多心理疗法中都涉及到自我觉知对心理状况的影响,包括格式塔疗法、来访者中心疗法、森田疗法等等。如何保持适度的自我觉知以促进心理健康是需要进一步研究的。     

明见性:相即感知与自我--再论胡塞尔的"直观"理论

在《逻辑研究》中具有本源性奠基意义的胡塞尔意义上的内感知,实际上是一个歧义两可的概念：作为对真理、本质的相即感知,它实现了直观的明见性理想,但其对象性感知的自然意识特征使其无法作为现象学考察的根基,而实际上它又并不具有对象性感知的意向构造性;只有作为“自身给予”（明见性）意义上的自身意识：才可以在起源的意义上真正实现现象学反思以至本质直观的切实意蕴。而这种意识一体验的时间性本性又使得明见性坐落于作为其根源的“自我”的问题域中。由此,自身意识与反思的含义、关系及其发展脉络才能真实呈现,明见性从相应性向绝然性的逐步过渡才能被理解。     

左脑还是右脑？—— 自我觉知神经机制的述评

自我觉知是个体对自己有所认识或意识的内部主观状态, 自我认知加工的任务都激发了自我觉知, 因此, 其复杂性导致脑机制研究存在很多的争议。对自我觉知神经机制的研究多从认知神经精神医学和涉及自我觉知任务的脑成像的角度进行, 很多研究发现自我觉知更多地激活了右脑, 针对具体的任务而激活不同脑区;但复杂的、高水平的自我觉知任务往往涉及内部言语加工, 需要左脑的加入。现在越来越多的研究认为皮质中线结构对自我觉知具有重要作用。今后有关自我觉知神经机制的研究可望从自我觉知的性质、所涉及的具体任务水平及社会文化背景的差异等方面有所进展。