bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
God's Holiness and Humanity's Self-Esteem
Authors: Britt William G.
Published: February 2018

The postulate that the holiness of God has a direct bearing on the self-esteem needs of human beings is integratively explored. God's holiness is defined and elucidated in relation to both Old and New Testament believers. The process by which believers partake of his holiness is tied to his dwelling among them. Self-esteem is defined from a psychological perspective. Both the basic components and specific facilitators of human self-esteem are identified and are shown to be satisfied by partaking of his holiness.
Sin and Self-Functioning, Part 1: Grace, Guilt and Self-Consciousness
Authors: Watson P.J. , Morris Ronald J. , Hood Ralph W.
Published: February 2018

An intrinsic religious orientation and beliefs relating to grace tended to predict an Internal State of Awareness, Style Consciousness, and less depression. These outcomes supported the hypothesis that orthodox conceptualizations of sin can promote an adaptive sensitivity to the self and to the self in relation to others; although in some samples these effects may be accompanied by the liability of less assertiveness. Obtained data also demonstrated that an interrelatedness between beliefs dealing with grace and with guilt can create complexities in understanding the influences of sin on self-functioning.
Theological Versus Interactional Models of Religious Influence: Toward a Synthesis
Authors: Hertel Bradley R.
Published: February 2018

Each of the articles just presented in this issue calls for greater emphasis on theology in social scientific studies of religion. White (1968), however, advocated an interactional approach to the study of religion which he considered to be in direct opposition with theological approaches. At a time when religion in America is becoming more diverse, through formation of new religions, intradenominational diversity and theological dissent, and growth in numbers of individuals formulating their own personal theologies, social scientists need to combine theological and interactional approaches to adequately portray the nature and place of religion in society. After comments on each of the articles, an argument for and discussion of possible means to achieve that synthesis are presented.
The Foundational Integration Model
Authors: Clinton Stephen M.
Published: February 2018

Based on the stance taken in the first article in this series (Clinton, 1990), a new methodology for doing integration of psychology and theology is proposed, called the Foundational Integration Model. Following the presentation of the model, the author discusses the need for a systematic approach, outlines the elements in a thorough model of integration, and addresses the assumptions which will have to be agreed upon or defended. The article is concluded with a call for a group of scholars to organize to meet the need.
The Christian Psychotherapist as a Transitional Object to Gog
Authors: Gaultiere William J.
Published: February 2018

From a perspective which integrates object relations psychology and Scripture the concept of the transitional object is applied to the therapeutic relationship with the psychotherapist or pastoral counselor serving as a transitional object to God, who is conceived of as the Perfect Object. By becoming a good enough object or an effective ambassador for Christ who mediates God's love for the client, the therapist can utilize the client's temporary dependence upon the therapist to enable them to make the transition from dependence upon visible but imperfect parental figures to reliance upon the invisible God who is perfectly loving. It is suggested that in order for clients to make the transition to a healthy dependence upon God they need to relinquish the moral defense which idealizes unloving parents, grieve the loss in having had less than perfect parents, integrate their good and bad part object representations, and utilize an internalized object representation of the good enough therapist as a foundation for developing a good image of God. Suggestions are offered for how the Christian therapist can adopt the therapeutic role of being a transitional object to God.
Seminary Drop-Outs: A Study of Predictability
Authors: Stone Howard W.
Published: February 2018

Why do some students remain in seminary and others drop out? A study of 552 MDiv students at a mainline Protestant seminary from the years of 1973 to 1986 was performed to attempt to answer that question. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Theological School Inventory (TSI) were used to differentiate between persisters and seminary leavers. Of students in an elevated MMPI group, 47% did not graduate from seminary, compared to 26% in a low MMPI group and 29% in a moderate MMPI group. A discriminant analysis was used with TSI scales and the MMPI score and 68% of the students were correctly classified as persisters or leavers. The MMPI score and the Definiteness and Flexibility scales of the TSI provided the strongest discrimination.
Understanding, Measuring, and Facilitating Spiritual Well-Being: Introduction to a Special Issue
Authors: Benner David G.
Published: February 2018

The Guest Editor introduces a special issue on “Spirituality: Perspectives in Theory and Research.” The ambiguity and confusion commonly seen in defining the term spirituality are briefly discussed, as well as the growing scientific interest in the concept. The Guest Editor describes the contribution that each of the articles in this issue makes to the body of literature on the psychology of spirituality and states his belief that the articles selected are representative of the current work being done in this area.
Response to Paul Vitz: Perspectives from Biblical Anthropology
Authors: Anderson Ray S.
Published: February 2018

The author responds to Vitz's (1992a, 1992b) two preceding articles. He asserts that Vitz has made a paradigm shift from a psychological to a social concept of the self, without making it clear that he has done so. Anderson believes that this unrecognized shift has led to some ambivalence in Vitz about the use of his narrative approach in integrative psychotherapy. The author attempts to resolve this ambivalence through conclusions derived from a biblical anthropology–-a view of the self as a unity with social, spiritual, and historical dimensions.
Better to Investigate Ritual abuse than to Ignore or Deny It: Shaffer Responds to Ganaway
Authors: Shaffer Ruth E.
Published: February 2018

Shaffer responds to Ganaway's critique of the Shaffer and Cozolino (1992) qualitative investigation of reports of ritualistic abuse. Describing systematically, accurately, and factually the similarities and differences in victims’ experiences with respect to ritualistic abuse has its place as a basic research method. Until more scientific approaches are applicable, investigating claims of ritualistic abuse seems a much more responsible scientific response than simply ignoring or denying them. A more sophisticated methodology may ultimately build on the foundation provided by descriptive research. A drawback of the more scientific model is its reductionism; the better way may be to increase understanding of human behavior through enlarging understanding of victims’ phenomenological experience.
Satanic Ritual Abuse: A Response to Featured Articles by Shaffer & Cozolino, Gould & Cozolino, and Friesen
Authors: Rosik Christopher H.
Published: February 2018

The author responds to three articles (Shaffer & Cozolino; Gould & Cozolino; and Friesen) and one review of these articles (Ganaway) featured in the Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1992, 20(3), special issue on satanic ritual abuse (SRA). Several topics are addressed in this context, including the value and limits of an “Oppressive Supernatural States Disorder,” different models of spiritual warfare, related ethical concerns, the possibility of cult-created alters, and the veracity of patients’ SRA reports. Professional dialogue between divergent perspectives concerning SRA is encouraged, and a rationale for such dialogue is presented. The author acknowledges, however, that fundamental differences in world view may work against finding forums for this sort of interchange.
The Relationship between Training of Mental Health Professionals and the Reporting of Ritual Abuse and Multiple Personality Disorder Symptomatology
Authors: Bucky Steven F. , Dalenberg Constance
Published: February 2018

With only a scant amount of empirical research available, there is little information to guide the clinician in assessing clients who present with a history of MPD or childhood ritual abuse. The authors surveyed 433 mental health professionals in San Diego County, California employing a 50-item questionnaire. Concerns of the investigators included whether (a) large numbers of ritual child abuse allegations are generated by a small number of therapists; (b) reporting of allegations is related to therapist discipline and level of training or licensure; (c) attendance at a MPD or ritual abuse workshop is related to MPD/ritual abuse reporting frequency; and (d) frequency of reporting MPD or ritual abuse reporting is related to workshop attendance or type of license. Results showed no differences across disciplines/licences in frequency of report of MPD diagnosis, ritual abuse patients seen, or the presence of symptom clusters which may be associated with diagnosis of either ritual abuse or MPD. However, the data suggest that a cluster of symptoms considered representative of several linked syndromes may become more tightly tied to a single diagnosis through the mechanism of workshop training.
The Oude Pekela Incident: A Case Study of Alleged SRA from the Netherlands
Authors: Rogers Martha L.
Published: February 2018

A case of alleged Satanic ritualistic abuse occurred during mid-1987 in the small village of Oude Pekela, Province of Groning, The Netherlands. This is a wedding of accounts taken (a) from a published report by two key professionals involved at the time of the incident, Drs. Jonker and Jonker-Bakker, medical practitioners in Oude Pekela; (b) from an investigation of the incident incorporated in a doctorandus degree thesis by Benjamin Rossen at the University of Amsterdam; and (c) professional commentary and reactions to this material.
The Oude Pekela Incident: Guest Editor's Final Note
Authors: Rogers Martha L.
Published: February 2018

In her concluding remarks, the author comments on certain troubling details of the sexual allegations in the Oude Pekela case not mentioned by the other responders and offers alternate explanations for some of these details. The therapeutic community needs greater sophistication about victim and perpetrator patterns in order to insure that a scientific approach will be applied to solving cases where child sexual abuse has been alleged.
Satanic Ritual Abuse and Determinate Meaning: A Response to Professor Ellis
Authors: Doland Virginia M.
Published: February 2018

Ellis’ argument that the process of “legend ostension” may, in itself, create its own “reality” is well taken and ought to be cautionary. In the current SRA controversy, it is possible that a variety of legend ostension, fed by the fires of the media, over-anxious authorities and mass panic, has at times helped in creating the events of which they speak. In our zeal to interpret a “text” or a series of accounts in ways which privilege our own expectations and preconceptions, the lives of families and individuals can be destroyed. The world is full of suffering and evil; Satan is “real,” but in the current SRA controversy, the Christian community has at times responded by giving the powers of darkness more than their due thus adding to the world's suffering and evil.
Changing of the Guard: Retrospect and Prospect
Authors: Hunter William F.
Published: February 2018

This Volume 20, Number 4 issue concludes Dr. William F. Hunter's 10-year editorship of the Journal of Psychology and Theology. Reflecting on the diversity of his own life experiences and his prior background and experience in various forms of publishing, Dr. Hunter formally hands over JPT to the new Editor, Dr. Patricia L. Pike. He especially acknowledges the role of others in accomplishing the mission of the Journal of Psychology and Theology as “an evangelical forum for the integration of psychology and theology.”
Helping Christians Reclaim Some Abandoned Emotions: The ACE Model of Emotion
Authors: Bassett Rodney L. , Hill Peter C. , Hart Carol , Mathewson Karyn , Perry Katie
Published: February 2018

The arousal-cognition-expression (ACE) model of emotion suggests that all emotions have the capacity to be pleasing to God, displeasing to God, and/or morally neutral. Therefore, all emotions are potentially appropriate for the Christian. According to the ACE model, what determines the moral direction of an emotion, and thus the appropriateness of an emotion for a Christian, is factors in the cognitive and expressive domains. The ACE model originally evolved out of research with anger and this paper reports an experimental study with anger that confirms some of the earlier descriptive findings that provided a foundation for the model. In a second study, testing the generality of the model, the ACE model is applied to the emotion of love. In conclusion, it is also suggested that the ACE model may provide a general framework for understanding several other Christian perspectives on emotion.
Responsive Reading: Daly, Dialogue and Denunciation (Henking Responds to Steichen, Vitz & Vitz, and Hearn)
Authors: Henking Susan E.
Published: February 2018

In rebuttal to critique this discussion continues dialogue with Hearn (1993) and responds to Steichen (1993) and Vitz and Vitz (1993) in this issue. Hearn's inclusion of Daly's most recent publication provides an important addition to the discussion. It clarifies Daly's early works as revolutionary rather than merely reformatory in their context. Hearn also aptly labels Daly's tendency to reject psychologists yet use their works as ironic (rather than unreasonable). It is more difficult to dialogue with the other respondents. Although Daly is explicitly anti-male, that position need not be designated sexist in a partriarchal, misogynist world. Although Daly is angry, in a misogynist world why is her anger and fear paranoid? Although Daly's conceptualizations may not be unique, her material is worthy of attention as indicative of a cultural trend.
Perceptions of God by Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: An Exploratory Study in an Underresearched Area
Authors: Kane Donna , Cheston Sharon E. , Greer Joanne
Published: February 2018

While the sexual abuse of children and its possible sequelae are major societal issues, there has been a scarcity of data in the literature concerning the relationship between religion and incest. This exploratory study researched an aspect of that relationship: whether adult women survivors of childhood incest, perpetrated by a father-figure, have a more negative view of God, compared to adult women who were not sexually molested. The methodology used was a survey of incest survivors and matched comparison subjects. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between how the women survivors of father-figure incest and the non-abused women in the comparison group viewed God.
The Effects of God Language on Perceived Attributes of God
Authors: Mcminn Mark R. , Brooks Sonja D. , (Hallmark) Triplett Marcia A. , Hoffman Wesley E. , Huizinga Paul G.
Published: February 2018

Sixty-three participants listened to an audio-tape asking them to imagine themselves in God's presence. Half the participants listened to a script in which God was presented as female and half listened to a script in which God was presented as male. Half of those in each group listened to a male narrator and the other half listened to a female narrator. Before and after listening to the script, participants rated the attributes of God on a forced-choice questionnaire. Those to whom God was presented as female were more likely to emphasize God's mercy at posttest whereas those to whom God was presented as male were more likely to endorse God's power. Those hearing a male voice describe a female God and those hearing a female voice describe a male God reported enjoying the experiment and the audiotape more than those hearing a narrator describing a God of the same gender. Implications are discussed.
God Said it: Psychology and Biblical Interpretation, How Text and Reader Interact through the Glass Darkly
Authors: Cranmer David J. , Eck Brian E.
Published: February 2018

Psychologists often encounter clients or students who have questions that relate to particular passages of Scripture. Because the Bible is often an important part of their organizing worldview, it becomes imperative that both the therapist and client develop an accurate understanding of how to read and apply the Scriptures correctly. Reading and applying Scripture brings together a text (the Bible) and a reader (the individual's cognitive structures). For the accurate understanding and application of biblical passages the therapist and client need to examine textual matters and reader issues such as language, culture, and situational context, as well as personal and group presuppositions, expectations, history and experience. This article is an attempt to further clarify the significance of these interpretation issues for the therapeutic relationship.
Who Perseveres? A Discriminant Analysis of Missionary School Personnel by Intention to Extend Service
Authors: Wilcox David K.
Published: February 2018

Organizational commitment theory was employed in this descriptive study of 394 staff members of overseas schools for missionaries’ children to determine the combination of variables which best distinguishes those intending to extend their service overseas from those not extending service or undecided. The discriminant functions indicate that the variables which best discriminate MK school personnel are affective commitment, years worked overseas, and being married. Additional influential variables for married MK school personnel include age (being younger than average) and perceiving that one's spouse is satisfied with his or her work or role. For single MK school personnel, being older is associated with continuance rather than being younger, along with affective commitment. Cultural adjustment is influential in distinguishing singles’ continuance intention but not marrieds’. Policy implications were offered to promote person-organization linkages.
Making Life Connections in Experimental Psychology
Authors: Poelstra Paul L.
Published: February 2018

One of the concerns or goals of a Christian college is character formation. Instructors in the experimental areas of psychology with an interest in nurturing the spiritual life of their students will find unique opportunities to integrate their material with biblical truth. Courses in experimental psychology offer another language and new metaphors that can bring fresh insights and perspectives for a biblical understanding of life. Specific illustrations taken from subject matter in statistics, learning, and experimental psychology courses are discussed and applied. Students’ responses to this type of integration are also presented.
Ethics among Christian Counselors: A Survey of Beliefs and Behaviors
Authors: Mcminn Mark R. , Meek Katheryn Rhoads
Published: February 2018

Previous researchers have reported survey results of the beliefs and behaviors of psychologists (Pope, Tabachnick, & Keith-Spiegel, 1987) and counselors (Gibson & Pope, 1993) with regard to professional ethics. We sent the same instrument to 900 Christian counselors, and received back 496 completed surveys. Rarely and commonly practiced ethical behaviors are described, and differences by sex, age, highest degree, and licensure status are discussed. Although Christian counselors generally appear to have high regard for and good awareness of ethical standards, many unlicensed Christian counselors may benefit from additional training in preventing exploitative counseling relationships. Current professional standards for multiple-role relationships may not apply well to all Christian counseling situations, making an ethics code for Christian counselors an important goal for the immediate future. Implications for training paraprofessionals and for subsequent research are considered.
The Church as an Agent in Rural Mental Health
Authors: Voss Steven L.
Published: February 2018

Many rural communities lack adequate mental health services. Additionally, there are specific problems associated with the delivery of services to rural citizens. A recent surge of interest in addressing rural concerns is prompting much needed research. This article suggests that the church can be an active agent in the delivery of services to rural populations. Ideas presented include: (a) identification and referral, (b) counseling networks utilizing local churches, (c) Christian counseling centers, (d) education and enrichment activities, (e) support groups, (f) lay counseling, (g) volunteer workers with the chronically mentally ill, and (h) clergy collaboration with local mental health practitioners.
“Can Two Walk Together, Except They be Agreed?”: Psychology and Theology — a Journey Together or Paths Apart?
Authors: Clouse Bonnidell
Published: February 2018

The integration of psychology and theology is likened to a journey in which two people share their ideas. Sometimes there is agreement and the two walk the same path; sometimes no agreement is possible and the two must go their separate ways. The psychologies of psychoanalysis, learning psychology (behaviorism), cognitive psychology, and humanistic psychology are evaluated using Scripture as the criterion for acceptance or rejection of basic ideas and methodology.
A Vision for the Future: Redeeming Psychology and Business, Managing Managed Care, and Partnering with the Church
Authors: Farnsworth Kirk E. , Regier Michael W.
Published: February 2018

A vision for the future of Christian counseling is presented, focusing on four integration issues: incorporation of psychology and theology into one's practice, integration of business practices and biblical principles, intrusion of managed care into mental health care, and isolation of counselors from the church. The negative effects of professionalism are considered, including the spiritual mediocrity created by contractual relationships. In contrast, covenantal relationships are more biblical as well as foundational to Christian counseling. A covenantal biblical view of reality is discussed, followed by a comparison of the transactional—contract-based—and transformational—covenant-based—approaches to counseling. Engendering covenantal understanding in others, engaging them in covenantal actions and encouraging their ongoing participation in covenant community are pivotal in the future of Christian counseling. Finally, guidelines for the future are given, with special emphasis on partnering with local churches in developing caring communities for the completion of the transformation process.
Training Tomorrow's Integrators in Today's Busy Intersection: Better Look Four Ways before Crossing
Authors: Moon Gary W.
Published: February 2018

As the modern integration movement continues to mature, three factors seem crucial to future training efforts. At the same time that third party control (managed care) and a burgeoning interest in spirituality (third party presence) are sending shock waves through the profession of applied psychology, leaders in the integration field are announcing an evolution of focus toward more practical and personal integration. These converging themes cast long implications across the construction of training programs which will spawn a new generation of integrators. In this article I discuss trends in training and suggest that future instructional efforts should be informed by four views: Out (practical integration), In (personal integration), Back (classic integration/soul care), and Forward (contemporary integration). I present and critique the Institute of Clinical Theology, an existing educational model based on these four views, and conclude with 12 training goals.
Modern and Postmodern Issues in Christian Psychology: An Integrative Transmodern Proposal
Authors: Ingram John A.
Published: February 2018

The conflicts between modern and postmodern viewpoints are being energetically presented and debated, yet much confusion remains. Each system, especially in its extreme form, is incomplete without some aspects of the other. Argument for a preliminary model that includes combined interactive aspects of both modern and postmodern paradigms is advanced. Integrative ramifications of considering special revelation, general revelation, and personal revelation as mutually influencing and interacting dynamic aspects of reality are described in a final comprehensive model.
Restoring the Substance to the Soul of Psychology
Authors: Moreland J. P.
Published: February 2018

Currently, the self has replaced the soul as the major focus of much psychological theorizing. I argue that this shift is due to a number of confusions regarding the nature and justification of substance dualism. I also claim that this focus on the self, without a framework that treats it as a substantial soul, leads to a number of conceptual problems and terminological equivocations. Moreover, I show that certain features of widely accepted views of the self actually seem to require a substantial soul to make sense. To substantiate these claims, Section I contains a discussion of a set of current misunderstandings about the nature of a substance (e.g., that a substance is a static thing unrelated to other things), and a treatment of key problems with current models of the self (e.g., that the self is a construct of language). Section II compares two very different views of wholes with parts-substances vs. property-things. Section III clarifies the essence of substance dualism by describing five states of the soul and the nature of a faculty of the soul. The section closes with a sketch of the main types of considerations that justify belief in substance dualism. In the final section, I argue that the self is the soul by showing how key features of certain psychological models of the self seem to require substance dualism to make sense and by clarifying a set of psychological terms/concepts in light of what has been argued earlier.
Exorcism Revisited: Positive Outcomes with Dissociative Identity Disorder
Authors: Bull Dennis L. , Ellason Joan W. , Ross Colin A.
Published: February 2018

Forty-seven separate incidents of exorcism, conducted on 15 Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) patients, were retrospectively investigated by a neutral interviewer using the Exorcism Experiences Questionnaire. Five types of exorcism were identified based on eight methodological factors. These factors were patient permission, noncoercion, active participation of the patient, understanding of DID dynamics by the exorcist, implementation of the exorcism within the context of psychotherapy, compatibility of the procedure with the patient's spiritual beliefs, incorporation of the patient's belief system, and encouragement of patient self-independence regarding exorcism. Descriptive analysis yielded 24 positive patient responses and 23 diverse responses, based on the presence or absence of these factors. Exorcisms that incorporated all factors consistently had positive responses. Symptom outcomes and experiences are discussed in light of the five different types of exorcism.
Integrating across the Psychology Curriculum: A follow-up Evaluation Plan
Authors: Koch Christopher , Doughty Travis
Published: February 2018

Dykstra, Foster, Kleiner, and Koch (1995) presented an integration framework for conducting a curriculum content review. This framework suggests that courses should be structured to allow students to progress through four levels of integration. The present follow-up study shows that students support the classification framework described by Dykstra et al. In addition, the present study describes an evaluation tool for assessing the level of integration taking place in the classroom. Results suggest that the four levels of integration provide a structure that can be easily validated by students and assessed with course evaluations.
The Loss of the Selfobject TIE and Religious Fundamentalism
Authors: Baker Mark W.
Published: February 2018

This article asserts that religious fundamentalism is best understood as an interpersonal phenomenon rather than an intrapsychic belief system, especially when it functions as resistance within the context of insight oriented psychotherapy. Two manifestations of religious fundamentalism are examined. Conservative Fundamentalism, Liberal Fundamentalism, and their respective meanings in the life of a client are discussed from the psychoanalytic perspective of intersubjectivity theory (Stolorow, Brandchaft, & Atwood, 1987).
Religious Coping Reconsidered, Part Two: A Narrative Reformulation
Authors: Ganzevoort R. Ruard
Published: February 2018

The second article proposes a narrative reformulation of religious coping theories. Using the multidimensional framework of the first article, a narrative perspective is presented in which the four dimensions mentioned are conceptually connected. In addition, narrative criteria are proposed to discern individualized religious processes. In this narrative theory, existing research and theory are incorporated in a unifying model. The aim of this article is to provide an example of a unifying theory of religious coping and to show the usefulness of a narrative approach.
Growing in Wisdom in Christian Community: Toward Measures of Christian Postformal Development
Authors: Johnson Eric L.
Published: February 2018

On the basis of theoretical work reported elsewhere, scales were developed with the goal of measuring some phenomena associated with Christian postformal thought development. These scales were used in 3 studies. The first examined scale intercorrelations; the second compared scores on the scales between evangelical and nonevangelical college samples; the third was a 4-year longitudinal study of a group of evangelical college students. Significant differences in scale scores were found in the evangelical and nonevangelical college samples and across the 4 years of the longitudinal study, which showed that individualism and relativism are not necessary concommitants of maturing cognitive development within the Christian community, calling into question the reliance on exclusively secular theories for understanding early adult development of Christians.
A Suggested Prefield Process for Missionary Candidates
Authors: Schubert Esther
Published: February 2018

This article gives one example of a prefield process geared to the financial limitations, geographic distances, and conservative religious population represented by missionary candidates. Although some of these suggestions may seem at odds with the usual private practice, mono-cultural, geographically stable approach to psychology, this article suggests that, in evaluating missionary candidates, adjustments can be made for this unique, geographically disparate, and religious population.
Sexual Abuse and Forgiveness
Authors: Tracy Steven
Published: February 2018

Confusion abounds in the religious community regarding the relationship between sexual abuse and forgiveness. Often, religious leaders fail to recognize the complexity of the biblical doctrine of forgiveness, particularly as it is applied to malevolent evil such as sexual abuse. This article seeks to clarify the precise nature of forgiveness from an evangelical perspective and to explore the actual practice of forgiving sexual abusers. Special attention is given to the relevance of revenge in the forgiveness of sexual abuse. This model of forgiveness centers on a distinction between three types of biblical forgiveness: judicial, psychological, and relational.
How referential uncertainty is modulated by conjunctions: ERP evidence from advanced Chinese–English L2 learners and English L1 speakers
Authors: Xu Xiaodong , Pan Meizhu , Dai Haoyun , Zhang Hui , Lu Yiyi
Published: February 2018

Conjunctions play a crucial role in the construction of a coherent mental representation by signaling coherence relations between clauses, especially for second language users. By using event-related potentials (ERPs), this study aimed to investigate how different conjunctions ( so, and, although, or a full stop) affect the interpretation of a following ambiguous pronoun for both native and non-native speakers, in sentences such as Lily disappointed Nina, so she …. ERP results showed that relative to so, and, and full stop sentences, the pronoun in although clauses elicited a larger Nref (sustained negativity) response in both native (L1) readers and second language (L2) readers, irrespective of whether the verb in the first clause biased towards a particular noun phrase (NP) referent. Moreover, larger Nrefs to pronouns were seen in L2 than L1 readers when clauses were connected by so, although or a full stop. Additionally, larger Nref responses were evoked by pronouns in NP2- than NP1-biased conditions when the clauses were connected by the conjunction so or when sentences contained no overt conjunctions ( full stop). These findings indicate that different conjunctions exert different modulating effects on resolving referential uncertainty/ambiguity. Relative to native speakers, non-native speakers are more likely to encounter referential uncertainty when the sentences are conjoined by conjunctions with more complex semantics.
Recent progress in understanding climate thresholds
Authors: Good Peter , Bamber Jonathan , Halladay Kate , Harper Anna B , Jackson Laura C , Kay Gillian , Kruijt Bart , Lowe Jason A , Phillips Oliver L , Ridley Jeff , Srokosz Meric , Turley Carol , Williamson Phillip
Published: February 2018

This article reviews recent scientific progress, relating to four major systems that could exhibit threshold behaviour: ice sheets, the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), tropical forests and ecosystem responses to ocean acidification. The focus is on advances since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC AR5). The most significant developments in each component are identified by synthesizing input from multiple experts from each field. For ice sheets, some degree of irreversible loss (timescales of millennia) of part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) may have already begun, but the rate and eventual magnitude of this irreversible loss is uncertain. The observed AMOC overturning has decreased from 2004–2014, but it is unclear at this stage whether this is forced or is internal variability. New evidence from experimental and natural droughts has given greater confidence that tropical forests are adversely affected by drought. The ecological and socio-economic impacts of ocean acidification are expected to greatly increase over the range from today’s annual value of around 400, up to 650 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere (reached around 2070 under RCP8.5), with the rapid development of aragonite undersaturation at high latitudes affecting calcifying organisms. Tropical coral reefs are vulnerable to the interaction of ocean acidification and temperature rise, and the rapidity of those changes, with severe losses and risks to survival at 2 °C warming above pre-industrial levels. Across the four systems studied, however, quantitative evidence for a difference in risk between 1.5 and 2 °C warming above pre-industrial levels is limited.
Detection and Analysis of Small-Amplitude Seasonal Variation in a Short Time Series
Authors: Marrero Osvaldo
Published: February 2018

We discuss a procedure for seasonality analyses of short time-series data with small amplitude. Such analyses are often performed in medical research. In economics, however, time series are typically long and of appreciable amplitude; therefore, economists are used to analyzing such data. Our procedure provides one more tool for the economists’ data-analysis toolbox. We illustrate the procedure’s application with three examples of real economics data. The examples demonstrate that the procedure can be profitably applied to short economics time series.

JEL Classifications: C12, C22, C23, C49, F31
From Sharpies to Skyhooks – On the cutting edge
Authors: Beilharz Peter , Supski Sian
Published: February 2018

Greg Macainsh is a major actor in the Australian popular music scene. He was the pioneer ethnographic filmmaker of the youth gang the Sharpies, and then bass player and songwriter for the most innovative band of the seventies, Skyhooks. Skyhooks combined new composition, driving music, sarcastic and local lyrics, and keen attention to visuals and costume. This article backgrounds Macainsh and his context. The interview that follows looks further into musical history and performative culture in Melbourne and its suburbs in the period.
An Analysis of Influence of Business Simulation Games on Business School Students’ Attitude and Intention Toward Entrepreneurial Activities
Authors: Zulfiqar Salman , Sarwar Binesh , Aziz Saira , Ejaz Chandia Khurram , Khan Muhammad Kaleem
Published: February 2018

Although research on entrepreneurial attitude and intention has received so much attention from scholars, only few studies have investigated the effect of value, usefulness, and pleasure associated with business simulation games, and how these values affect students’ attitude and intention toward entrepreneurial activities. In this study, Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior have been used in combination to explore how these technological teaching methods influence the attitude and intentions of the students toward entrepreneurial activities. The results show that all hypotheses have been proven by stating significant and positive students’ attitude and intention toward entrepreneurial activities using business simulation games. But subjective norms did not contribute toward student intentions in this regard. It is concluded that people with high uncertainty avoidance are reluctant to take the risk; therefore, there is a need to change their attitude by implementing entrepreneurial ecosystem in society.
A Semi-natural Approach for Studying Seasonal Diapause in Drosophila melanogaster Reveals Robust Photoperiodicity
Authors: Nagy Dóra , Andreatta Gabriele , Bastianello Stefano , Martín Anduaga Ane , Mazzotta Gabriella , Kyriacou Charalambos P. , Costa Rodolfo
Published: February 2018

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster survives thermally stressful conditions in a state of reproductive dormancy (diapause), manifested by reduced metabolic activity and arrested ovarian development in females. Unlike insects that rely primarily on photoperiodic stimuli to initiate the diapause program, in this species dormancy is regulated by low temperature and enhanced by shorter photoperiods. Overwintering phenotypes are usually studied under simple laboratory conditions, where animals are exposed to rectangular light-dark (LD) cycles at a constant temperature. We sought to adopt more realistic diapause protocols by generating LD profiles that better mimic outdoor conditions. Experimental flies were subjected to semi-natural late autumn and summer days, while control females received the same amounts of light but in rectangular LD cycles (LD 8:16 and LD 15:9, respectively). We observed that semi-natural autumnal days induced a higher proportion of females to enter dormancy, while females in semi-natural summer days showed reduced diapause compared with their corresponding rectangular controls, generating an impressive photoperiodic response. In contrast, under rectangular light regimes, the diapause of Drosophila field lines exhibited minimal photoperiodicity. Our semi-natural method reveals that D. melanogaster diapause is considerably more photoperiodic than previously believed and suggests that this seasonal response is best studied under simulated natural lighting conditions.
Young feminists, feminism and digital media
Authors: Jackson Sue
Published: February 2018

Over recent years, young feminist activism has assumed prominence in mainstream media where news headlines herald the efforts of schoolgirls in fighting sexism, sexual violence and inequity. Less visible in the public eye, girls’ activism plays out in social media where they can speak out about gender-based injustices experienced and witnessed. Yet we know relatively little about this significant social moment wherein an increasing visibility of young feminism cohabits a stubbornly persistent postfeminist culture. Acknowledging the hiatus, this paper draws on a qualitative project with teenage feminists to explore how girls are using and producing digital feminist media, what it means for them to do so and how their online practice connects with their offline feminism. Using a feminist poststructuralist approach, analyses identified three key constructions of digital media as a tool for feminist practice: online feminism as precarious and as knowledge sharing; and feminism as “doing something” on/offline. Discussing these findings, I argue that there is marked continuity between girls’ practices in “safe” digital spaces and feminisms practised in other historical and geographical locations. But crucially, and perhaps distinctly, digital media are a key tool to connect girls with feminism and with other feminists in local and global contexts.
The role of social media in sex education: Dispatches from queer, trans, and racialized communities
Authors: Manduley Aida E , Mertens Andrea , Plante Iradele , Sultana Anjum
Published: February 2018

Social media is a well-established communication method, but little academic literature explores the psychological and social benefits for sexuality education. Particularly for queer, trans, and racialized communities – who have been historically maligned by state-based sex education – social media has become a tool to build internal capacity and psychological well-being as well as democratize, amplify, and share experiences around sexuality. Informed by intersectionality and health literacy frameworks, this commentary provides concrete examples of how and why these communities are taking advantage of social media as a means of liberation and form of sexuality education in and of itself. We also provide practical strategies for researchers, educators, and organizations seeking to utilize the power of social media.
An examination of nonconsensual pornography websites
Authors: Uhl Carolyn A , Rhyner Katlin J , Terrance Cheryl A , Lugo Noël R
Published: February 2018

Nonconsensual pornography, sometimes referred to as “revenge porn,” refers to the distribution of sexually explicit photographs or videos without the consent of the individual in the image. These images, along with accompanying personal information, are often disseminated by a former romantic or sexual partner with the intent to harm. Websites exist that have a reputation for hosting and promoting revenge porn. However, it is unclear to what extent these websites function for the purpose of explicitly harming victims by providing a victim's personal information. To address this question, a content analysis was performed on 134 photographs from seven different websites that originated within the United States. Descriptions of photos posted, content of victims' personal information included within the post, victim and distributor demographics, and viewers' comments were coded and analyzed. Website layouts and policies were also documented. Key findings were that nearly 92% of victims featured on included websites were women. Moreover, when a reason was given for posting the photo, it was correlated with having a greater number of views, being more likely to allow commenting on photos, and being more likely to include a victim's name. Implications are discussed.
“I can be your Tinder nightmare”: Harassment and misogyny in the online sexual marketplace
Authors: Thompson Laura
Published: February 2018

On Instagram, the accounts Bye Felipe and Tinder Nightmares feature screen-grabbed messages of sexist abuse and harassment women have received from men on dating apps. This paper presents a discursive analysis of 526 posts from these Instagrams. Utilising a psychosocial and feminist poststructuralist perspective, it examines how harassing messages reproduce certain gendered discourses and (hetero)sexual scripts, and analyses how harassers attempt to position themselves and the feminine subject in interaction. The analysis presents two themes, termed the “not hot enough” discourse and the “missing discourse of consent”, which are unpacked to reveal a patriarchal logic in which a woman's constructed “worth” in the online sexual marketplace resides in her beauty and sexual propriety. Occurring in response to women's exercise of choice and to (real or imagined) sexual rejection, it is argued these are disciplinary discourses that attempt to (re)position women and femininity as sexually subordinate to masculinity and men. This paper makes a novel contribution to a growing body of feminist work on online harassment and misogyny. It also considers the implications for feminist theorising on the link between postfeminism and contemporary forms of sexism, and ends with some reflections on strategies of feminist resistance.
The prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome: a cohort study
Authors: Liu Z , Yang X , Tian Z , Qian J , Wang Q , Zhao J , Huang C , Liu Y , Guo X , Wang H , Lai J , Li M , Zhao Y , Zeng X
Published: February 2018

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and severe complication of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Cohort studies indicate that the underlying diseases of PAH associated with connective tissue disease (CTD-PAH) in Asian countries are different from that in the United States and in Europe. This study investigated the clinical characteristics, survival, and prognostic factors of pSS-PAH in Chinese patients. We enrolled 29 patients with pSS-PAH who visited our referral center during August 2007 and May 2015. PAH was confirmed by right heart catheterization (RHC). Baseline demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, autoantibody results, hemodynamics data, and treatment regimens were analyzed. All patients were followed up at the Department of Rheumatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) every three to six months. All patients were female. Mean age of pSS onset was 34.4 ± 11.1 years. Mean age of PAH diagnosed by RHC was 40.6 ± 9.0 years. There was no significant difference in age, disease duration, and hemodynamic findings between the survivors and the non-survivors in this cohort. The overall one-, three-, and five-year survival rates were 80.2%, 74.8%, and 67.4%, respectively. Prognostic factors of mortality were time between pSS onset and PAH onset (HR 1.102, 95% CI 1.017–1.185, p = 0.018) and cardiac index < 2 l/min/m2 (HR 5.497, 95% CI 1.063–28.434, p = 0.042). In contrast, the use of immunosuppressants (HR 0.110, 95% CI 0.024–0.495, p = 0.004) was related to better survival. This study demonstrates that the predictors of mortality in patients with pSS-PAH include delayed onset of PAH in pSS and worse cardiac function. Immunosuppressants can improve the prognosis of pSS-PAH.