Lightning

This Why Files article examines lightning. Lightning is the second deadliest storm-related hazard in the United States. Topics covered include: what lightning is, how it injures and kills, and what has been learned in the past few years from research on nature's electricity. Two experts were interviewed for this article. Educational levels: General public, High school, Intermediate elementary, Middle school

Event-sequence analysis of appraisals and coping during trapshooting performance

This study describes appraisal and coping patterns of trapshooters during competition, via post-performance retrospective verbal reports. Probabilities that an event (e.g., missed target) is followed by another event (e.g., negative appraisal) were calculated and state transitional diagrams were drawn. Event-sequences during critical and non-critical performance periods were compared. Negative appraisals were most likely before and after missed targets and hits with the second shot. Positive appraisals were most likely before problem-focused coping and after emotion-focused coping. These findings support the process view of coping by illustrating that athletes cope with a variety of situations via a complex set of appraisals