Europe’s Journal of Psychology (PsychOpen)
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Doing Bayesian Data Analysis: A Tutorial with R and BUGS
No full textBayesian reasoning is a blessed relief to those who have always struggled with the idea that the probability of heads coming up in a supposedly fair coin flip is always 50%, even after a long series of coin flips has come up tails each time. According to Bayes, if a coin keeps coming up tails we should adjust our prior belief that the probability is 50% in the light of the posterior belief that the coin appears to be biased towards tails. John Kruschke’s book is a 600 page development of this Bayesian theme. The 23 chapters cover the basics of parameters, probability, Baye’s rule, the R and BUGS statistical programmes, the fundamentals applied to inferring a binomial proportion, and how all of this is applied to the generalized linear model. Kruschke has the rare ability amongst statistical textbook authors of writing very engagingly about knotty topics. For those who want to do what the title of the book suggests – learning to do Bayesian data analysis by learning programs languages R and BUGS – this book must be ideal
Job demands, job control, social support and self-efficacy beliefs as determinants of burnout among physical education teachers
No full textThe aim of the present study, which involved 311 Physical Education (PE) teachers in Dutch schools, was to examine the relationships between job demands, job control, social support and perceived self-efficacy on the one hand and teacher burnout on the other. Based on Karasek’s Demands-Control-Support model (1990), it was expected that perceived stringent job demands in combination with perceived lack of control on the job and perceived lack of social support from colleagues, principals and managers could so affect teachers’ health that they were likely to suffer from enhanced levels of burnout. Our study partly confirmed results based on the Karasek model. It was also expected that the number of domain-determined self-efficacy beliefs concerning the influence teachers had on job demands would affect their level of burnout. However, this supposition was not supported. Perceived job control was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between perceived job demands on the one hand and the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions of burnout on the other. Colleague support had a moderating effect on the relationship between job demands and the personal accomplishment dimension of burnout, whereas managerial support had a moderating effect on self-efficacy beliefs concerning teachers’ influence on job demands and personal accomplishment. The study further revealed that PE teachers run a greater risk of falling victim to burnout as they grow older. Implications for future studies are discussed
Talking about traumatic events: A cross-cultural investigation
No full textIndividuals are facing traumatic situations like natural crises (like floods, earthquakes) and man-made disasters (terroristic attacks) incrementally. Traumatic events are related to psychological consequences for survivors (depression, posttraumatic stress disorder). The experience of a traumatic event can be disclosed through narratives, which can be linguistically analyzed with the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). In this study, cultural and temporal differences in narratives about different traumatic events in seven European countries are investigated. 132 survivors, who experienced a traumatic situation, reported their experiences in focus groups and interviews. The transcripts of narratives were analyzed with the LIWC2007 (Pennebaker, Chung, Ireland, Gonzales & Booth, 2007). Regarding the LIWC categories affective and cognitive processes, event characteristics as well as cultural and temporal differences were explored. Results show that traumatic situations are reported with a greater amount of negative emotion words. Cultural differences regarding the LIWC categories are found between the seven European countries. A temporal factor, considering days elapsed between an event and narrative, was investigated. Temporal differences in cognitive word use, but not for affective contents, were recognized. This study was able to show tendencies of cultural diversity in the expression of traumatic events in survivors of seven European countries as well as to explore a temporal factor, which is related to a retrospective way of narration
Womb envy and Western society: On the devaluation of nurturing in psychotherapy and society
No full textOur purposes in part I of the essay are: 1) to suggest that womb envy has been a significant element in the formation of our culture (in the context of the traditions of Judaism, Roman Catholicism, and Islam), and 2) to make more evident the presence and the significance of the devaluation of nurturing in our society, in part by linking this devaluation of nurturing to its history in the phenomenon of womb envy. In part II, we look at how the devaluation of nurturing is manifested in the practice of psychodynamic therapy. The devaluation of nurturance is thus viewed in a context where the writers have intimate knowledge and experience. We find that a downplaying of the significance of nurturing in our society results in a general lack of empathy and sensitivity, and a deemphasis on relational competence, as well as an overall devaluing of women. An emphasis on profit and production moves relational concerns into the background. In the context of psychotherapy, we suggest, our society’s emphasis on hierarchy and authority interferes with nurturing as a therapeutic factor. We also discuss various attempts that writers have made to support the role of nurturing in psychotherapy
Spirituality, religion, and health: Reflections and issues
No full textThe past decade has witnessed substantial growth in the study of religiosity/spirituality and its relationship with various indicators of health. Most of these studies found positive relationships between religion, spirituality and health (both mental and physical health). However, various studies in this field are criticized specially for not clearly and operationally defining the constructs religion and spirituality and for their poor design. This paper discuses major issue associated with concepts, norms, and assessments of religiosity and spirituality. Finally, various suggestions to surpass these limitations are also addressed
European Network for Social and Emotional Competence in Children
No full text29 June 2011 to 3 July 2011 Manchester, United Kingdo
Why the world needs heroes
No full textCan thoughts ignite revolutions? How can one person’s imagination empower millions to challenge tyranny and injustice in the name of freedom and democracy? In recent times, the world has been witnessing just such a mindful, viral transference of power in the uprisings and revolutions spreading across the Middle East. In Cairo, Egyptian youth, with neither a political leader of an opposition party, nor armed weapons to fight against the government militia, have been able to create a largely peaceful coup d’état. Remarkably, they achieved their goal in less than one month. Their success inoculated untold numbers of others in that region with a newfound moral courage, which is critical for translating personal intentions into civic action. We also have to acknowledge the power of the Internet and TV media for creating connectivity among the revolutionaries and the global spread of the unfolding events witnessed by millions worldwide, hour-by-hour
Psychobiography as a method. The revival of studying lives: New perspectives in personality and creativity research
No full textPsychobiography was invented by Sigmund Freud while investigating the psychological determinants of Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic creativity. Following the founder of psychoanalysis there were about 300 psychobiographic analyses published until 1960. From the 1930’s psychoanalysis also influenced the unfolding personality psychology trend called personology in the USA, led by G. W. Allport and Henry A. Murray, who also worked with life stories. However, the major methodological problems of classic psychobiography and the rising of nomothetic approaches in personality research effaced studying lives between the 1950’s and the 1980’s. The narrative turn in psychology made life story analysis accepted and popular again, and from the 90’s we can talk about “a renaissance of psychobiography”. The new endeavors encompass psychoanalytical and personological traditions and also integrate narrative perspectives. Contemporary psychobiography is constantly widening its focus: not only artists, but scientists, political and historical figures are also analyzed with more explicit methodology and comparative proceedings. In addition to the fact that psychobiography is a qualitative research method, it is very useful in exploring the psychology of creativity and personality itself and hence can be used as an instrument to train psychology students and prepare them for practical activities like psychotherapy or consultations. With the application of psychobiography the knowledge about human functioning and self-awareness is deepening, since it can be viewed as a practical realization of hermeneutical dialogue leading to the understanding of the human mind
On the study of culture and mind: Interview with Prof. Michael Cole
No full textCulture and mind represent, in themselves, perhaps the two most complicated phenomena to ever be studied. Their massive complexity has posed, for centuries, great challenges to researchers from a variety of fields. It is therefore all the more difficult to understand the interconnection between the two. And yet, as Professor Michael Cole and, more broadly, cultural psychologists would argue: there is no way of making sense of one if we disregard the other. Culture and mind constitute each other through action and communication and it is their intricate relationship that holds the key to understanding human nature and human society. Professor Cole, one of the pioneers of cultural psychology, discusses in this interview the theoretical and methodological difficulties that have shaped his work for several decades, a work accompanied at times by great frustrations but also remarkable rewards. For it is in studying culture and mind, rather than culture or mind, that we can come not only to appreciate development but find ways to actively and efficiently support it
Understanding and treatment of diffuse aches and pains of patients from tradition-bound cultures
No full textPatients from collective cultures with a tradition-bound cultural background (e.g., people from the Middle East and some south European countries such as Italy and Greece), have a different perception of pain and different conceptions of healing, which up till now have not been sufficiently appreciated in modern multimodal therapeutic approaches. Inadequate knowledge of anatomy and bodily functions and traditional perceptions of pain (magic, curse, punishment, etc.) have a substantial influence on diagnostics. The pain experience is regarded holistically in relation to the body, rather than being confined to a particular part of the body. Limited access to psychological complains treatment often leads to diffuse pain. The ailing body expresses its state in social, collective, economic, migration historical, psychological and cultural terms. A multimodal interdisciplinary and culture-sensitive approach is required for the effective pain treatment of patients from a tradition-bound background