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The Problem of Psychology in Neo-Kantianism:On the Relevance of Richard Hönigswald
No full textChristian Krijnen revises the widespread view that German idealism from Kant to Hegel and Neo-Kantianism only focused on absolute subjectivity and failed to deal philosophically with concrete subjectivity properly, leaving it to empirical psychology. Therefore, he discusses the transcendental philosophy of Hönigswald that, according to Krijnen, paradigmatically succeeded in integrating the ‘problem of psychology’ into the foundations of transcendental philosophy. This chapter shows why and how the problem of psychology is not a mere empirical issue to be addressed by empirical psychology but part of philosophy as a theory of objectivity. It discusses how, for Hönigswald, objectivity relates to the so-called ‘monas’ (concrete subject) as the performing factor of objectivity. Finally, this chapter uncovers the limitations of Hönigswald’s transcendental-idealist theory of concrete subjectivity in comparison with Hegel’s philosophy.</p
Negative Life Events and Epigenetic Ageing:A Study in the Netherlands Twin Register
No full textWe aimed to understand the long-term impact of negative life events on epigenetic aging in 1783 adults from the Netherlands Twin Register, analyzing five epigenetic biomarkers (Hannum, Horvath, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPACE) and a series of negative life events, including victimization and economic hardship. In population-level analyses, associations between a higher number of negative life events (particularly financial adversities, sexual crimes, and job loss) were seen for the GrimAge biomarker. The association between the number of negative life events and financial problems and epigenetic age acceleration measured by the GrimAge biomarker persisted after adjusting for BMI, smoking, and white blood cell counts. In monozygotic twin pairs discordant for negative life events (263 pairs) the associations were diminished, indicating that the population associations may be confounded by shared familial (genetic and environmental) factors. These findings underscore the intricate link between environmental stressors and biological aging, stressing the need for comprehensive studies considering both genetic and environmental influences.</p
Efficiency paradox:Introducing secure messaging in outpatient care
No full textThis study explores the uptake of secure messaging technology and the influence it has on the work of three interconnected occupational roles. It was executed in an outpatient clinic, where the administrative staff adopted the new secure messaging tool, expecting it to improve efficiency. The study found that the efficiency-enhancing tool over time introduced new inefficiencies into the work of administrative assistants, nurses, and physicians, and this phenomenon is noted as the efficiency paradox, which is examined and explained throughout the study. This research contributes to health information technology and role reconfiguration literature by highlighting the crucial role of emotions in this emergent and relational process and discussing the implications of that in the context of patient-provider communication.</p
Valuation of stochastic occupancy levels and public transport policy options during the COVID pandemic
No full textThis study aims to evaluate passengers’ valuations of occupancy levels and public transport policy options during the COVID-pandemic. An important objective of the research is to understand how passengers value uncertainty in the occupancy level for their trip. We estimate a mixed logit model, using stated choice experiments among 195 respondents. One of the features of the stated choice experiments is a simple representation of probabilities for different occupancy levels. Our results suggest that the highest occupancy level dominates passengers’ choices, regardless of probability. This implies that respondents have a strong aversion to high occupancy rates, even at low probabilities. In terms of policy options, we find that respondents value blocked seats positively, which is consistent with the aversion to high occupancy rates. The obligation to wear face masks and reserving seats for travelers in vital professions are also valued positively. Blocked seats, obligatory face masks and reserving seats for vital professions are viable policy instruments in a future pandemic. Moreover, the strong aversion to high occupancy rates may also be relevant for public transport policy in times without pandemic. Further research could be aimed at testing the relevance and order of magnitude of this finding in the post-COVID era.</p
The relationship between walking speed, step parameters, and margins of stability in individuals after stroke
No full textBackground: Individuals after stroke walk with different step parameters and consequently with different margins of stability compared to able-bodied peers. These differences might be a side effect of lower preferred walking speeds or primary limitations in regulating step parameters and margins of stability after stroke. Methods: Twenty-eight individuals after stroke (separated into more impaired and less impaired based on speed) and fourteen able-bodied peers completed five walking trials on an instrumented treadmill at 70 %, 85 %, 100 %, 115 %, and 130 % of their preferred speed. Center of pressure data were used to calculate stride frequency, stride length, step width and margins of stability in mediolateral and anteroposterior direction. Generalized estimation equations were used to analyze the (interaction) effects of group, speed, and most versus least affected leg on these parameters. Findings: When controlled for speed, all individuals after stroke walked with higher stride frequencies (P < 0.001) and shorter stride lengths (P < 0.001) than able-bodied peers. Less impaired individuals walked with larger step widths than able-bodied peers (P < 0.001). The interaction effect of group and speed suggested that individuals after stroke showed higher increases in stride length with increasing speed than able-bodied peers. When controlled for speed, mediolateral margins of stability were larger in less impaired individuals compared to able-bodied peers, but otherwise, margins of stability did not differ between groups. Only minor differences between the most and least affected leg were observed. Interpretation: Differences in step parameters between individuals after stroke and able-bodied peers seem independent of walking speed and function to enhance gait stability.</p
“We are no drawings, no clay dolls”:A qualitative exploration of adolescents’ attitudes towards cosmetic procedures
No full textMost previous research into cosmetic surgery acceptance/intention is quantitative in nature and focuses on (female) adults. Yet, qualitative explorations of adolescents are required, as they form the next generation of cosmetic consumers and are growing up in a culture in which procedures are unprecedentedly normalized. Moreover, the number of young people undergoing cosmetic procedures is increasing. This study explores adolescents’ attitudes towards cosmetic procedures and (future) cosmetic procedure intention through 13 focus groups with a total of 42 adolescents (aged 15–19). The sample included variation in terms of gender identity, educational level/attainment, and regionality. The focus groups were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which resulted in five main themes, providing a comprehensive overview of adolescents’ attitudes towards cosmetic procedures. The first theme, information (sources) illustrates adolescents’ knowledge of cosmetic procedures and how adolescents obtain information related to cosmetic procedures, which may also explain some of their views and attitudes. The second theme, normalization of a commercial industry, explores the adolescents’ discussion of the normalized status of cosmetic procedures, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The third theme, attitudes towards cosmetic procedures, engages with the varied, variable, and context-specific (dis)approval and evaluation of cosmetic procedures. Following this, the fourth theme – cosmetic procedure intention – elaborates on the adolescents’ expressions of their own (lack of) intention to undergo cosmetic procedures. The fifth and final theme was construction and identification of ‘the cosmetic consumer’, where adolescents distanced themselves from the cosmetic surgery industry and/or shared particular (stereotypical) constructions of recipients of cosmetic procedures. This study provides an examination of adolescents’ perceptions of and attitudes towards cosmetic procedures. Importantly, we found that adolescents’ attitudes can be characterized as complex and ambiguous. To explain this ambiguity, we consider insights from Cultivation Theory (Gerbner et al., 2002), the cosmetic surgery paradox (Bonell et al., 2021), and connect the adolescents’ discussions to issues of diversity.</p
Co-offending among outlaw motorcycle gang members:The role of social and geographical proximity
No full textMembers of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) have been shown to be disproportionally engaged in criminal behavior, including serious and organized crime. Fellow OMCG members have furthermore been found to facilitate this criminal behavior both indirectly, by providing a moral climate and opportunity structure conducive to crime, and directly, by acting as co-offenders. Although co-offending among OMCG members is prevalent, the driving factors in OMCG members' co-offender choice remain largely unknown. In the present study, we examine whether co-offending among OMCG members is best explained by social proximity, measured here as similarity in age and rank within the club, and shared club and chapter membership, or rather by geographical proximity, measure here as the distance (in kilometers) between chapters' clubhouses. To examine the driving factors of OMCG members' co-offending we apply the recently developed Poisson Quadratic Assignment Procedure regression on the officially registered co-offending data of a sample of 1096 members of four of the most notorious Dutch OMCGs. This study examines co-offending of OMCG members in general and for organized, violent and property crime in particular. The results show that in their choice of co-offenders, social rather than geographical proximity predicts the frequency of co-offending among OMCG members.</p
The IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre Capacity Building Program:Empowering Member States to Address and Minimize the Impacts of Ocean Acidification
No full textRainfall seasonality shapes belowground root trait dynamics in an Amazonian tropical rainforest: A test of the stress‐dominance hypothesis
No full text<jats:p>The stress‐dominance hypothesis (SDH) predicts that trait variation at the community level increases with the availability of limiting resources, driving spatial and temporal patterns in above‐ground plant functional trait expression. Here, we test the assumption that the SDH also applies to fine roots responding to spatial and temporal fluctuations in soil resource availability.We monitored fine root mass and functional root traits associated with resource acquisition, that is specific root length (SRL), specific root tip abundance (SRTA) and branching index (BI), and traits related to stress tolerance, such as root diameter (RD) and tissue density (RTD) in a Central Amazonian tree community. To test for spatial differences in root traits, we separated the uppermost organic (O‐A horizon, 0–5 cm) and mineral soil (B horizon, 5–15 cm) layers, and for temporal fluctuations, we investigated the relationship of precipitation on community‐level root variation over a period of 27 months.In accordance with the SDH, we found that fine roots in the O‐A horizon have on average 15% higher SRL, 23% higher BI, 32% higher SRTA and 15% lower RTD than those in the B horizon. Similarly, precipitation shifted the community over time to higher mean SRL, BI and SRTA (r = 0.92, 0.84 and 0.94, p < 0.0001 respectively), although trait shifts occurred in the trimester after the rainy season onset, revealing a time‐lag between rainfall patterns and community response. We also detected a positive increase in trait range for SRL and SRTA with lagged precipitation (r = 0.90 and 0.79, p < 0.0001). On the other hand, traits related to stress showed a weaker negative relationship with instantaneous precipitation (r = −0.7 and −0.57, p = 0.046 and p = 0.1 for RD and RTD, respectively).Our results supported the SDH predictions that root systems will become more acquisitive in areas with more resources, and that the community will shift to more acquisitive but also broader trait dispersion as hydric stress decreases. We conclude that although higher resource availability may increase competition for acquisition, trait overdispersion seems to promote species coexistence. Our results highlight how dynamic root systems can be in response to environmental cues, cautioning the common practice of making conclusions about root traits adaptations to environmental gradients based on a single sampling observation.Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.</jats:p>
Temporary self-managing teams:Mythos or logos
No full textThis study aims to explore the frequency of workers’ participation in modern team types, compare them to each other, and report how participation in the various team types fulfills basic needs satisfaction. An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted among employees from the USA. (N = 459) and the UK. (N = 612). Participation in unconventional team types (i.e. temporary, self-managing, and temporary self-managing teams) serves as an independent variable to explore employees’ experiences. Next, we correlate team-type experiences and Basic Need Satisfaction (W-BNS). Evidence suggests that temporary forms of teamwork underperform teams of open-ended duration in meeting basic needs satisfaction. The study reveals that a novel team form, a temporary self-managing team, is understudied yet relatively common in workplaces. Unconventional teams are increasingly common, especially in dynamic industries. However, these teams often under satisfy members compared to permanent, managed teams in meeting psychological needs like autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Organizations must balance innovative team configurations with individual needs. National sampling suggests that unidentified cultural differences are not yet understood, and further investigation is required to explain national/cultural (USA/UK) differences.</p