title: Empirical support for the adaptive and maladaptive functions of autobiographical memory

authors: Burnell, Ryan

subjects: Memory

abstract: Autobiographical memories are hypothesised to serve at least three functions: they direct people’s behaviour, inform their identity, and facilitate social bonding. But most of the research on these three functions has focused on how memories serve them in ways that are adaptive—in fact, we know little about how memories might serve functions in ways that are maladaptive. We also know little about the factors that drive memories to serve functions in adaptive or maladaptive ways. Across four sets of experiments, we1 investigated both the extent to which memories serve maladaptive functions and the factors that drive memories to serve functions in adaptive or maladaptive ways. We found that people’s positive memories are primarily adaptive, whereas their negative memories serve a mix of adaptive and maladaptive functions. In addition, we found that the more a memory is associated with a sense of reliving, the more adaptive it tends to be. Finally, we found evidence that it is not necessary for people to have personally experienced an event, nor for them to believe an event really happened, in order for the memory of that event to serve functions. Considered together, these data highlight the need for researchers to take more nuanced view of the functions of autobiographical memory and demonstrate the importance of measures that separate adaptive and maladaptive functions.

text: Empirical support for the adaptive and maladaptive functions of autobiographical memory Autobiographical memories are hypothesised to serve at least three functions: they direct people’s behaviour, inform their identity, and facilitate social bonding. But most of the research on these three functions has focused on how memories serve them in ways that are adaptive—in fact, we know little about how memories might serve functions in ways that are maladaptive. We also know little about the factors that drive memories to serve functions in adaptive or maladaptive ways. Across four sets of experiments, we1 investigated both the extent to which memories serve maladaptive functions and the factors that drive memories to serve functions in adaptive or maladaptive ways. We found that people’s positive memories are primarily adaptive, whereas their negative memories serve a mix of adaptive and maladaptive functions. In addition, we found that the more a memory is associated with a sense of reliving, the more adaptive it tends to be. Finally, we found evidence that it is not necessary for people to have personally experienced an event, nor for them to believe an event really happened, in order for the memory of that event to serve functions. Considered together, these data highlight the need for researchers to take more nuanced view of the functions of autobiographical memory and demonstrate the importance of measures that separate adaptive and maladaptive functions.

year: 2021

title: Physical volcanology and future volcanic risk from Te Maari Craters, Tongariro

authors: Basher, Ruth

abstract: The Te Maari Craters on the northern side of the Tongariro Cone Complex represent one of at least seven vent systems that have been active on Tongariro since the last glacial maximum. Activity at Te Maari had begun by at least 14 ka and has continued through historic times, making it one of the most long-lived of the young eruptives on Tongariro. The older lower crater is a wide (500 m), inclined, flat-floored structure up to 60 m deep, which exposes multiple layers of jointed andesite lava. The morphology of this structure implies some shallow collapse probably associated with withdrawal of a shallow magma chamber. The upper crater is a steep-sided, funnel-shaped feature constructed from weakly consolidated, very coarse, monolithic andesite breccia, and is largely the product of explosive eruptions through a pre-existing fan of thick, very coarse auto·breccia.
The most recent lava flow (probably around 1500 AD) and explosive ash eruptions (notably in 1892 and 1896) have been sourced from this upper crater. There are 4 older northern lava flows sourced from vents in the vicinity of the craters. From historic observations and analysis of the erupted products in the field, the typical eruptive style of these craters range from phreatic - phreatomagmatic to vulcanian. There is no evidence for more explosive subplinian eruptions from the Te Maari crater system.

The explosive eruption of 1896 was of sufficient intensity to disperse ash at least as far as the Hawkes Bay, and up to 50 mm of ash accumulated on the Desert Road. A repeat of this eruption today would cause severe disruption to agriculture and forestry operations, as well as critical transport and utility networks in the central North Island. The Tongariro Power Scheme would also be affected, as ash fall over Lake Rotoaira would cause damage to hydroelectric power facilities. A lava flow from these craters today on the scale of the 1500 AD flow would also have a major impact on transport networks if it reaches the State Highway, and outgassing would cause local acid rain and health problems in nearby communities such as Turangi and Taumarunui. The location of these craters close to the boundary of the national park also presents a unique hazard, as it would be difficult to prevent members of the public from gaining access to the area following an eruption and endangering their lives through curiosity.

Recent seismicity beneath the craters is a reminder that further eruptions are likely from the Te Maari system. Work on these craters to characterise the mechanisms, timing and magnitudes of typical eruptive activity contributes valuable information in the assessment of the probability and impacts of future eruptions.

text: Physical volcanology and future volcanic risk from Te Maari Craters, Tongariro The Te Maari Craters on the northern side of the Tongariro Cone Complex represent one of at least seven vent systems that have been active on Tongariro since the last glacial maximum. Activity at Te Maari had begun by at least 14 ka and has continued through historic times, making it one of the most long-lived of the young eruptives on Tongariro. The older lower crater is a wide (500 m), inclined, flat-floored structure up to 60 m deep, which exposes multiple layers of jointed andesite lava. The morphology of this structure implies some shallow collapse probably associated with withdrawal of a shallow magma chamber. The upper crater is a steep-sided, funnel-shaped feature constructed from weakly consolidated, very coarse, monolithic andesite breccia, and is largely the product of explosive eruptions through a pre-existing fan of thick, very coarse auto·breccia.
The most recent lava flow (probably around 1500 AD) and explosive ash eruptions (notably in 1892 and 1896) have been sourced from this upper crater. There are 4 older northern lava flows sourced from vents in the vicinity of the craters. From historic observations and analysis of the erupted products in the field, the typical eruptive style of these craters range from phreatic - phreatomagmatic to vulcanian. There is no evidence for more explosive subplinian eruptions from the Te Maari crater system.

The explosive eruption of 1896 was of sufficient intensity to disperse ash at least as far as the Hawkes Bay, and up to 50 mm of ash accumulated on the Desert Road. A repeat of this eruption today would cause severe disruption to agriculture and forestry operations, as well as critical transport and utility networks in the central North Island. The Tongariro Power Scheme would also be affected, as ash fall over Lake Rotoaira would cause damage to hydroelectric power facilities. A lava flow from these craters today on the scale of the 1500 AD flow would also have a major impact on transport networks if it reaches the State Highway, and outgassing would cause local acid rain and health problems in nearby communities such as Turangi and Taumarunui. The location of these craters close to the boundary of the national park also presents a unique hazard, as it would be difficult to prevent members of the public from gaining access to the area following an eruption and endangering their lives through curiosity.

Recent seismicity beneath the craters is a reminder that further eruptions are likely from the Te Maari system. Work on these craters to characterise the mechanisms, timing and magnitudes of typical eruptive activity contributes valuable information in the assessment of the probability and impacts of future eruptions.

year: 2005

title: Accommodating multiculturalism and biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand: implication for language education.

authors: May, Stephen

subjects: bilingual education

abstract: The field of language education in Aotearoa New Zealand, as elsewhere, has developed significantly since its early and almost exclusive focus on the acquisition of English literacy in schools. As the field has expanded, so too has the range of language education sectors addressed and the theoretical approaches and understandings employed in relation to language and literacy education. Both developments have resulted in a more coordinated literacy education policy - exemplified to date most clearly in the New Zealand Literacy Taskforce - and a more situated, less monolithic understanding of the widely different literacies available to learners. Despite these developments, however, one area still remains noticeably under-theorised and marginalized in relation to the ongoing development of language and literacy education policy in Aotearoa New Zealand - the place of second language learners within it. This paper explores this lacuna and the potential policy implications of addressing and integrating first and second language educational concerns within an evolving national literacy education policy. This has particular implications for the further development of bilingual education - both for Maori and, possibly, other minority groups - and for the related possibilities of multicultural education. It also requires a wider and clearer recognition of minority language education rights, as developed within both international law and political theory, in order to apply these rights appropriately to an Aotearoa New Zealand context which is currently witnessing rapid and extensive demographic (and linguistic) change.

text: Accommodating multiculturalism and biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand: implication for language education. The field of language education in Aotearoa New Zealand, as elsewhere, has developed significantly since its early and almost exclusive focus on the acquisition of English literacy in schools. As the field has expanded, so too has the range of language education sectors addressed and the theoretical approaches and understandings employed in relation to language and literacy education. Both developments have resulted in a more coordinated literacy education policy - exemplified to date most clearly in the New Zealand Literacy Taskforce - and a more situated, less monolithic understanding of the widely different literacies available to learners. Despite these developments, however, one area still remains noticeably under-theorised and marginalized in relation to the ongoing development of language and literacy education policy in Aotearoa New Zealand - the place of second language learners within it. This paper explores this lacuna and the potential policy implications of addressing and integrating first and second language educational concerns within an evolving national literacy education policy. This has particular implications for the further development of bilingual education - both for Maori and, possibly, other minority groups - and for the related possibilities of multicultural education. It also requires a wider and clearer recognition of minority language education rights, as developed within both international law and political theory, in order to apply these rights appropriately to an Aotearoa New Zealand context which is currently witnessing rapid and extensive demographic (and linguistic) change.

year: 2002