Cognitive therapy for social phobia : the human face of cognitive science

[abstract from Index to SA Periodicals]Points to the male/masculine ideology pervading science. Gives a history of cognitive science. Shows that current clinical models on which cognitive therapy treatments are based are complex and detailed, but also situated and human. Warns about the contemporary enthusiasm for cognitive science. Presents a case study which illustrates how the cognitive model of social phobia works inpractice when applied to one person's life situation

About gain cycles and spirals of efficacy beliefs, positive affect and activity engagement

Taking Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory as our starting point, we tested how efficacy beliefs (self-efficacy and perceived collective efficacy) reciprocally influence activity engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption) indirectly through their impact on positive affect (enthusiasm, satisfaction, and comfort) over time. We conducted two longitudinal studies using independent samples. Study 1 is a two-wave longitudinal field study that examines gain cycles regarding the dynamic relationships among self-efficacy, positive affect, and work engagement in 274 secondary school teachers. Study 2 is a three-wave longitudinal laboratory study about gain spirals in the dynamic relationships among collective efficacy beliefs, positive affect, and task engagement in 100 university students working in groups. Our findings show that: (1) efficacy beliefs reciprocally influence activity engagement indirectly through their impact on positive affect over time; (2) enthusiasm is the positive affect with the strongest effect on activity engagement; and (3) a gain spiral exists whereby efficacy beliefs increase over time due to engagement and positive affect (most notably enthusiasm). Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications in terms of Social Cognitive Theo

Interdisciplinary Education In Dental Hygiene: A Pilot Project

This study describes a five-hour interdisciplinary experience involving sophomore dental hygiene students, dental hygiene faculty and medical technology faculty. This experience met the objectives of interdisciplinary teaching while reinforcing and expanding on a present topic in a four-year dental hygiene curriculum. The results of this experience are documented by pre- and post-testing and student evaluations. Statistical analysis of the test results along with student commentaries support interdisciplinary education as a viable and positive teaching approach. Student ability to correctly answer topic-related cognitive questions increased significantly while their understanding of the medical technology profession and its relationship to dental hygiene also developed. The experience was included within the framework of the pre-clinical dental hygiene course which kept the implementation efficient and perhaps contributed to its success. This pilot project was a positive step toward cθntinued interdisciplinary experiences between the dental hygiene and medical technology programs and created enthusiasm for expanding the experiences in the future to include the other health programs

INTRACULTURAL VARIABILITY IN THE COGNITION OF DANGER AMONG SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FISHERS

The costs of the dangers of commercial fishing are very high, yet fishing vessel safety regulations are frequently met with lack of enthusiasm or even rejection by fishers. Why would fishers reject regulations designed to increase their safety? There is a strong possibility that some of the rejection is the result of lack of cognitive sharing and communication between originators of the regulations and the fishers for whom the regulations are designed. This paper examines the pattern of cognition about danger of the occupation among fishers and relates these patterns to sociocultural differences in two southern New England ports. The intent of the study is to help bridge the gap between regulators and users by providing culturally appropriate information that can be used to design more effective policy, training, and enforcement programs.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Client and therapist variability with psychotherapy homework : a preliminary psychometric evaluation of two scales : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University,

The therapeutic use of homework assignments is an integral feature of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and is believed to be important in producing and maintaining client treatment gains. While there is empirical and theoretical support suggesting that homework completion may be associated with improved outcome, few studies have directly investigated specific therapist behaviours used in the integration of homework into practice. Similarly, research on client homework completion has, by far, focused solely on the quantity of homework completion rather than on any other factors found to be associated with increased client engagement with homework assignments. The recently developed Homework Adherence and Competence Scale (HAACS) was designed to specifically assess therapist competence and adherence to recommended homework behaviours used to administer homework. As a new measure of client homework completion, the Homework Rating Scale-II (HRS-II), extends the assessment of client homework completion beyond quantity only and provides a measure of the cognitive and behavioural determinants of client homework completion. The present study presents a psychometric evaluation of both the HAACS and HRS-II when rated by independent observers. Further, the present study sought to examine therapist differences in adherence and competence in administrating homework as well as investigating the temporal pattern of client homework completion

Investigating Emotions in Creative Design

A wealth of research has suggested that emotions play a significant role in the creative problem solving process, but less work has focused on investigating the role of emotions in the design process. This is surprising given that creative problem solving lies at the heart of the design processes. In an exploratory study we interviewed 9 expert designers about their emotions during the design process. The content analysis allowed us to identify the various types of emotions relevant in the design process and to extend Wallas’ model of creative problem solving with emotional components for each of its stages. In addition, we identified two important roles of emotions in design and several ways in which expert designers regulate their emotions. We discussed the theoretical and practical applications of our work

Relationships between exercise and three components of mental well-being in corporate employees

Objectives: The main purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between exercise participation and three components of mental well-being (physical self, work-related, and global) in a sample of corporate employees. As a subsidiary and exploratory question, we also examined whether these well-being components are more strongly related to structured exercise participation scores compared to total levels of physical activity. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Method: The participants were 312 employees from an information technology company (nZ204 males and nZ108 females). Structural equation modelling was used to examine links between exercise participation and the three well-being components within a hierarchical framework, featuring global well-being constructs at the apex and specific elements of well-being at lower levels. Results: Support was found for the a priori model in that there were direct paths from exercise to physical self and enthusiasm at work. Furthermore, there were indirect paths between exercise and global well-being components through measures of the physical self and enthusiasm at work. The results of an alternative model using physical activity as opposed to exercise were generally similar. Conclusion: The support found for the exercise and well-being model indicates that exercise is associated directly and indirectly with high well-being in various facets of employees’ lives. Thus, this study extends previous research that has examined associations between exercise and isolated indicators of employee well-being. Finally, the results pertaining to physical activity suggest that workplace exercise promotion programmes should incorporate and promote lifestyle physical activity

Diagnosis in vascular dementia, applying ‘Cochrane diagnosis rules’ to ‘dementia diagnostic tools’

In this issue of Clinical Science, Biesbroek and colleagues describe recent work on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based cerebral lesion location and its association with cognitive decline. The authors conclude that diagnostic neuroimaging in dementia should shift from whole-brain evaluation to focused quantitative analysis of strategic brain areas. This commentary uses the review of lesion location mapping to discuss broader issues around studies of dementia test strategies. We draw upon work completed by the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group designed to improve design, conduct and reporting of dementia biomarker studies

What makes mathematics lessons interesting in the middle school : student and teacher perceptions : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies in Mathematics at Massey University

Some researchers have suggested that students in schools find mathematics classes boring, and that this attitude towards learning mathematics gets stronger as students grow older. Using reports of students and teachers, this study investigates how interest is used and developed in intermediate school mathematics classes. Five teachers and 101 Year 7 and 8 students from a single co-educational suburban state intermediate school participated in the study. One teacher and ten student focus group discussions to explore attitudes to and uses of interest in their mathematics classrooms were audio-taped. The results of these discussions were used to develop themes that formed the basis of separate student and staff questionnaires for all participants. Further data was obtained from a mathematics class journal kept by participants, and from individual interviews with all staff and seven randomly chosen students. The study showed that both teachers and students had similar ideas about what students found interesting, and revealed several aspects of classroom practices that heightened and/or developed interest in learning mathematics. The most notable of these were: using hands-on activities; teacher enthusiasm; group work and student progress. Mathematical content was rarely seen as interesting in itself, although probability, symmetry and transformations, geometry and problem solving were regarded as the most interesting sub-strands of the curriculum, while number, measurement and 'all of mathematics' garnered least support. Bookwork using textbooks or worksheets was usually considered boring, and activities such as external mathematics competitions and challenging or easy mathematics polarised student opinion. Interest has a complex and generally positive association with learning. Student reports suggest that two interest factors that have the potential to be used more effectively in mathematics lessons are teacher enthusiasm and group work. The catch phase of situational interest, the aspect of interest most frequently used, was rarely developed further. This study suggests that mathematics learning will benefit from further developing interest in mathematics classes by linking situational interest factors with mathematical content, student experiences and clarity about each student's progress. Teachers need professional development and resource support for this to happen