The Implications of Europeanized EU-Journalists on the Citizens and its Government : The Brussels Bubble- a paradise for EU-journalists´ to become a good reporter?

The national media plays a central role for European citizens by functioning as an information transmitter, ensuring fact-orientated news coverage, to ultimately fulfill a democratic role within the EU system. Not least due to enhanced EU integration, European news coverage of EU-related matters has significantly increased. This is important, as good news coverage is essential for citizens to hold their national government accountable. By conducting 26 semi-structured interviews with German and Italian EU-journalists, this research identifies EU-journalists´ exposure to Europeanization and assesses its impact on their views and framing of EU news. The research explores two potential effects from Europeanisation; a first looks at the possible detachment from the national audience while a second focuses on the quality of a journalists information network as a result of Europeanisation. The findings that Europeanization of EU-journalists improves access to exclusive information through an established quality information network thereby strengthening their accountability role. By contrast, Europeanisation can compromise journalists bridging role as they need to prioritizing the national audience´s interest when selecting EU affairs topics

The Influence of Psychedelic Drugs on the \u27Sense of Self\u27

Potent psychedelic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin are implicated in a multitude of cognitive and perceptual alterations. Through the mediation of serotonergic 5-HT2 receptors, distortion of the self is a common effect of these drugs. The self is usually referred to as an entity comprising physical and psychological attributes that are coherent within our self-concept. This so-called binding process can be affected through psychedelic experiences and can oftentimes lead to the phenomenon of ego-dissolution. Given this, ego-dissolution leads to the elimination of a binded self-model which eventually results in the perception of distorted self-boundaries. There have been improvements conceptualizing and assessing ego-dissolution. The Ego-Dissolution Inventory is the first questionnaire dealing with the assessment of this phenomenon. In addition, a variety of neural studies associate this common psychedelic induced phenomenon with different brain regions. The Default Mode Network and the Salience Network, two large-scale networks associated with distinct components of the self, show altered activity and disintegration, leading to a more global connectivity within the brain. Additionally, decoupling of the Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL) and reduced interhemispheric communication show the same correlations. These findings are first attempts to conceptualize the self and the concept of ego-dissolution in terms of large-scale networks within the brain

Table of contents, colophon, and editorial note

Table of contents, colophon, and editorial not

The Memory Effects of Simulating Crime-related Amnesia: A Review of Experimental Studies

Crime-related amnesia refers to the amnesia for an offense that is sometimes reported by offenders of (violent) crimes. Although some of the amnesia claims may be genuine, others are likely to be simulated. Simulating amnesia can have advantages for the offender, but not all offenders will continue claiming amnesia during the police investigation. This raises the question whether and how simulating crime-related amnesia affects subsequent genuine memory recall of the crime. Experimental studies generally find a memory-undermining effect of simulating amnesia. The exact memory effects depend on the simulation strategy used. According to the Memory and Deception (MAD) framework, different forms of deception result in distinct memory errors. False denial is likely to lead to omission errors, whereas fabrication of an alternative story is more likely to lead to commission errors. The possible explanations for these memory effects, important considerations, and legal implications will be discussed. &nbsp

Bulletproof Coffee and Cognition

There is evidence that caffeine has positive effects on cognition. Studies have shown that caffeine is an indirect enhancer of cognitive functions such as memory, concentration, and mood. A new caffeine-based trend has emerged, claiming “massive impact on energy and cognitive function.” This new beverage, known as Bulletproof coffee, is a combination of coffee, grass-fed butter, and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil. Thus far, these claims have not been supported by any scientific evidence. This research aimed to determine whether these enhancing effects could be corroborated by empirical data. We hypothesised that participants in the Bulletproof condition would perform better on memory-related tasks and subjective mood ratings. 21 participants performed two working memory-related tasks after consuming a coffee beverage (either decaffeinated coffee, regular coffee, or Bulletproof coffee). Subjective mood ratings were collected before and after coffee consumption as a secondary measure. Findings show that there was no effect of coffee beverage on cognitive performance during the working memory-related tasks. The statistical analysis also yielded a significant interaction effect between the Alertness mood dimension and coffee beverage (decaffeinated and regular coffee). Further research needs to be conducted to gain more conclusive results. Keywords: Bulletproof coffee, memory, caffeine, cognitive enhancemen

Nightmares in traumatized children: Does disturbed emotion regulation play a mediating role?

This review paper discusses to what extent a disturbed emotion regulation acts as a mediator in the relationship between trauma in children and the experience of nightmares. Evidence has been established for an association between trauma and the experience of nightmares. The role played by an emotion dysregulation is discussed both from a neurological and from a psychosocial perspective. The neurological dimension describes the key role played by the amygdala, which is hyperactive during nightmares and chronically hyperactive after trauma. The psychosocial dimension describes the role of attachment style for the development of emotion regulation and presents theories of dream function in order to portray the role of an emotion dysregulation for post-traumatic nightmares in children. An evaluation of the literature suggests that - from both the neurological and the psychosocial perspective - emotion dysregulation plays the role of a mediator in the relationship between child trauma and nightmares and a model showing this interplay is hypothesized and explained. Empirical research should be conducted in order to empirically validate the hypothesized model and to further support the assumption that an emotion regulation therapy should be part of the treatment for child trauma patients frequently experiencing post-traumatic nightmares. Keywords: nightmares, childhood trauma, emotion dysregulation, triangular mode

GENDER TRANSITION AS SELF-REALISATION IN LATER LIFE: Interview with a 72 year old Trans woman in Wales

Trans experiences of ageing have, so far, been minimally explored in academic literature; however, older Trans people who have transitioned in later life have much to offer the fields of both Trans Studies and Cultural Gerontology. By drawing on an interview with Jenny-Anne Bishop, a 72-year-old Trans woman, this study suggests that Trans ageing experiences are not adequately accounted for by dominant cultural narratives of ageing, notably decline and age-defying narratives, and instead proposes Laceulle and Baars’ (2014) framework of self-realisation as a suitable alternative. Concurrently, this study serves as an empirical illustration of how self-realisation as a framework for meaning attribution in later life can be applied

FEMALE HOMELESSNESS: The social relationships of homeless women

Addressing a gap in literature about female homelessness, this paper analyzes the role of social relationships in the lives of homeless women. Bourdieu’s theory of social capital and Granovetter’s theory of social ties are used as a theoretical framework. The specific analytical focus is on social relationships with family and romantic partners and how these relationships contribute to homeless women’s social capital. It was firstly found that despite family being a source of emotional and instrumental support, homeless women’s limited or absent family relations represent a burden. Secondly, romantic relationships can provide support and simultaneously represent a straining factor. We conclude that social relationships to both family and romantic partners can in some cases be a source of support but most often are an additional burden to the already disadvantaged situation of homeless women

TAUGHT NOT TO TRUST: The role of civic education in shaping the political culture of Slovakia

For many years, Slovakia has been struggling with low voter turnout and a disengaged public. At the same time, there are concerns that the current education system is not equipping students with skills relevant to their lives. This paper examines the passive way civic education is taught in Slovakia and the influence it has on the political behavior of youth. The paper concludes that the education also promotes a passive political culture. At the end, the paper proposes an educational reform that could improve political participation for the new generation

LAKATOS AND THE ASSUMPTION OF THE NEUTRALITY OF MONEY IN NEOCLASSICAL ECONOMICS

Using Imre Lakatos’ concepts concerning research programmes, it is shown that the assumption of the neutrality of money belongs to the hard core of neoclassical economics. This conclusion is based on the interrelation of the concept of the neutrality of money and that of efficient equilibria, a key notion of neoclassical economics. By showing that utility-maximizing equilibria determined by the private market do not necessarily exist if money is not assumed to be neutral, I prove that the neutrality of money is a necessary assumption for the existence of efficient equilibria. Furthermore, it will be shown that unscientific ad hoc modifications are utilized to protect this assumption, and that the research programme of neoclassical economics is hence degenerating