An appreciative response to Niels Henrik Gregersen's JKR research conference lecture

Abstract

Using human embryos in research remains a controversial issue, especially in Christian bioethics. Although the official Catholic stance rejects human embryonic stem cell research, Christian thinkers T. Peters, K. Lebacqz and G. Bennett support it. They endorse the 14-day Rule and argue that ex vivo embryos lack moral worth. I examine and challenge the 14-day Rule and location argument (in vivo/ex vivo). I develop a theory of holistic anthropology and intrinsic moral value for human embryos. I conclude that intrinsic moral value is not equal to full moral value, and therefore use of embryos in biomedical research is morally permissible.     

Step into liquid: Rites,transcendence and transgression in the modern construction of the social sacred

This essay looks at the construction and transformation of the notion of sacred space in the twentieth century. The notions of transgression and lived moments (or everyday rites), as put forth by numerous writers and architects, are examined as an alternative vision of the sacred and spatial ontology that relies upon material conditions and relations as its source. In particular, it focuses on the emergence of this social spatial category through the work of the Collège de Sociologie a group of ethnologists, philosophers, writers and artists (Georges Bataille was a founder) who convened bi-weekly at a Paris café between 1937 and 1939 in the hope of constructing a sacred sociology. This group's activity provides the groundwork for understanding how the social sacred emerges as a category of spatial practice in the late twentieth century, and how the categories of events and rites are explored by the youthful avant-garde in architecture that emerge from the 1960s. In particular, the architect Bernard Tschumi's writings on transgression and event provide a direct link to the sacred sociology of the Collège as he is a close reader of Bataille's, and the work of the European radical avant-garde in architecture from the late 1960s and early 1970s helps to elucidate how the Collegians call for a sacred sociology is manifest in what I call the sacred social. I proposes this new category of the ‘social sacred’ to explain a spatial category which emerges in the twentieth century, and which we can use to understand how space, architecture, and urbanism help to define and engender this new sacred category.     

Infertility

ABSTRACT

Infertility can be a stressful condition. It affects one out of six couples in the United States-at least ten million people. Whether conceived naturally or through enhanced fertility measures, 20% of clinical pregnancies end in miscarriage. This study will explore the experiences of women who have lived through infertility and the meanings they associate with it. The author used a qualitative research method that utilized a phenomenologist perspective. In this study four women were interviewed in-depth. The use of a self-reflexive journal by the author informed the research questions. The findings include emotional reactions, gender differences, support, learnings, benefits, advice, and strength related to the experience. This research may be significant for couple therapists and the medical community in understanding the experience of infertility.     

The Influence of Religiosity,Family-of-Origin,and Self-Efficacy on Depression in Older Adults

ABSTRACT

In this study, the influence of religiosity, self-efficacy, and family-of-origin on depression was examined. In addition, the associations of race, gender, and age on these variables were analyzed. A total of 81 older persons, 56% white and 44% black, and approximately the same number of males and females, were recruited from public housing, a senior citizens organization, and a private community dwelling. Results indicated that a number of associations were significant between race, gender, religion, and age. No gender or race differences were associated with self-efficacy or depression. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine the role of self-efficacy, family-of-origin, and religiosity on depression of older adults. Significant causal effects were found for the influence of religiosity and family-of-origin on self-efficacy and the influence of self-efficacy on depression.     

The Effects On and Of Depression - An Exploratory Study of Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention in Coronary Artery Disease

Forty consecutive participants in a comprehensive, behaviourally oriented coronary rehabilitation and secondary prevention program were followed for three years. Changes in depression (as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory) as well as the influence of baseline levels of depression on achieved changes in lifestyle behaviour and on rehabilitation and secondary prevention effects were analyzed. Subjects with moderate levels of baseline depression experienced short-term reductions of depression, which was maintained at the 12-month follow-up. Clinically depressed subjects experienced less positive results, with smaller immediate reductions as well as relapse to baseline levels after 12 months, specifically in non-physical, cognitive-affective depression symptoms. There were, however, no differences in lifestyle changes or in hospital treatment between groups with different pre-treatment depression levels. These results are discussed in relation to earlier research on the detrimental effects of depression on the prognosis of coronary artery disease.     

Intraclass Correlation Associated with Therapists: Estimates and Applications in Planning Psychotherapy Research

It is essential that outcome research permit clear conclusions to be drawn about the efficacy of interventions. The common practice of nesting therapists within conditions can pose important methodological challenges that affect interpretation, particularly if the study is not powered to account for the nested design. An obstacle to the optimal design of these studies is the lack of data about the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), which measures the statistical dependencies introduced by nesting. To begin the development of a public database of ICC estimates, the authors investigated ICCs for a variety outcomes reported in 20 psychotherapy outcome studies. The magnitude of the 495 ICC estimates varied widely across measures and studies. The authors provide recommendations regarding how to select and aggregate ICC estimates for power calculations and show how researchers can use ICC estimates to choose the number of patients and therapists that will optimize power. Attention to these recommendations will strengthen the validity of inferences drawn from psychotherapy studies that nest therapists within conditions.     

Males' Reactions to Participating in Research on Dating Violence Victimization and Childhood Abuse

Childhood abuse and dating violence victimization are prevalent and devastating problems. Although there has been an abundance of research on these topics in recent years, researchers and institutional review boards often struggle with determining whether asking respondents questions on previous violence will result in increased emotional distress or other negative research outcomes. Empirical data are therefore needed that examine the research reactions of individuals who participate in research on childhood abuse and dating violence. This study examined this topic among a sample of male college students (N?=?193). Results showed that victims of childhood sexual abuse had more negative emotional reactions and victims of physical dating violence had more negative perceived drawbacks to research participation than nonvictims. However, victims and nonvictims did not differ on positive research reactions. These findings suggest that there are few differences between victims and nonvictims on research reactions.     

Understanding the multiframe caricature advantage for recognizing facial composites

Eyewitnesses often construct a “composite” face of a person they saw commit a crime, a picture that police use to identify suspects. We described a technique (Frowd, Bruce, Ross, McIntyre, & Hancock, 2007) based on facial caricature to facilitate recognition of these images: Correct naming substantially improves when composites are seen with progressive positive caricature, where distinctive information is enhanced, and then with progressive negative caricature, the opposite. Over the course of four experiments, the underpinnings of this mechanism were explored. Positive-caricature levels were found to be largely responsible for improving naming of composites, with some benefit from negative-caricature levels. Also, different frame-presentation orders (forward, reverse, random, repeated) facilitated equivalent naming benefit relative to static composites. Overall, the data indicate that composites are usually constructed as negative caricatures.     

Empirically based psychology of Islam: summary and critique of the literature

In this paper, we systematically review the growing empirically based psychology of Islam. We arrive at 10 conclusions: (l) Islam is a multidimensional religion; Islam might mean different things to different people, and some people might adhere to some of its elements but not to others; (2) Islam is similar to, but is different from, other religions; (3) Islam's role in the lives of Muslims seems mostly positive; (4) Some types of Islamic religiousness are negative; (5) The empirical findings have not been translated yet into clinical applications; (6) Most of studies conducted among Muslims provide only a birds-eye view of Islam; (7) Empirical studies of Muslims are scarce; (8) Empirical research on negative types of religiousness among Muslims is sparse; (9) The majority of research in this field has been restricted to convenient samples; (10) Several important topics with implications for Muslims deserve further consideration, and there is a need for more varied research methods in studies of Muslims. The implications of these findings and the limitations of this review are discussed.