Alternative psychotherapies: Conceptual elucidation and epidemiological framework

This article elucidates and defines alternative psychotherapies, as well as describes the variables that explain why some professional psychologists are prone to endorse these practices. First, the novel concept of “complementary and alternative psychotherapies” (CAP) is defined within the framework of the established hierarchy of clinical evidence. Second, we report a literature review to aid understanding of the main variables explaining why some clinicians prefer CAP. We review rejection of scientific reasoning, misconceptions about human nature, and pragmatic limitations of evidence-based practice

The Parasites of Science. A Psycho-cognitive Characterization of a Pseudo-scientific Hoax

The theoretical framework of research on pseudoscience is deficient,since it usually includes other types of beliefs lacking epistemic warranty. In this paper, I review the mechanisms of exploitation of scientific authority by pseudoscience, developing a more refined psycho-cognitive framework to characterize the phenomenon. I will analyze the psychology of pseudoscientific deception, the cognitive roots that enable the epidemiology of these ideas and their mechanisms of self-legitimation, such as dialectical superiority, false external support or false ethical and/or epistemological superiority

Depth sensing indentation of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings deposited onto a polymeric substrate

PEO-Si/SiO2 hybrid coatings deposited onto a PVC substrate were micromechanically characterized using depth sensing indentation. The effect of curing time and coating thickness was investigated. Elastic moduli of coated systems determined by the Oliver–Pharr approach displayed a continuous decreasing trend with increasing indentation depth, reflecting that the hybrids are stiffer than the substrate. Aiming to extract coating-only elastic modulus a simple method based on FE simulations was developed. The method was applied to evaluate the moduli of the hybrid coatings and the values were compared with those obtained by applying different approaches available in literature. The elastic modulus of PEO-Si/SiO2 hybrids was proven to be practically independent of curing time after 24 h. However, large curing times resulted in coatings being more prone to failure.Fil: Fasce, Laura Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Seltzer, Rocío. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Frontini, Patricia Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; Argentin

Impiego del plasma arricchito di piastrine nelle lesioni teno-desmiche e articolari del cavallo

La guarigione delle lesioni tissutali è mediata da un complesso meccanismo di eventi intracellulari ed extracellulari, ad oggi non ancora completamente noto. Le piastrine giocano un ruolo fondamentale nella riparazione di lesioni, poiché contengono fattori di crescita che favoriscono chemiotassi, proliferazione cellulare e differenziazione, neovascolarizzazione e deposizione di matrice extracellulare. La presente tesi ha lo scopo di dimostrare che l’uso del plasma arricchito di piastrine (PRP) autologo accelera la riparazione delle lesioni e stimola la capacità di rigenerazione dei tessuti danneggiati. Il concentrato piastrinico autologo, ricavato da sangue equino, utilizzato in questa sperimentazione, è stato ottenuto con il metodo della doppia centrifugazione proposto dal Dottor Bertuglia. In fase di sperimentazione si è individuato un nuovo metodo della doppia centrifugazione (Ricardi-Fasce) che ha dato risultati incoraggianti riguardo la concentrazione piastrinica. E’ stato inoltre messo a punto uno studio cellulare del concentrato usato clinicamente (PC-C), del sangue intero e delle altre frazioni ottenute durante la sua preparazione (PC-A, PC-B e PC-D), che ha provato che la concentrazione piastrinica maggiore si ottiene nella frazione PC-C. Studi in vivo eseguiti su tessuti molli e duri di cavalli hanno inoltre messo in evidenza ecograficamente che l’inoculazione intra e peri lesionale del PRP, in lesioni teno-desmiche e articolari, accelera la riparazione delle stesse, diminuisce l’infiammazione legata al trauma e stimola la capacità rigenerativa del tessuto danneggiato

Divan couches and gurus : the origin and dangers of clinical pseudopsychology

Pseudoscience is alarmingly present in the context of clinical psychology and is also very dangerous. As a set of pseudoscientific ideas, clinical pseudopsychology has a peculiar characteristic: it has established an entire tradition parallel to psychology, with numerous branches and interrelated theoretical and practical developments. In this paper we will review that tradition, from pseudoscientific hypnosis to psychoanalysis, and from New Age to present-day neuropseudoscience. We will then review some of the dangers of pseudoscience related to mental disorders

Dismantling yhe rhetoric of alternative medicine : smokescreens, errors, conspiracies, and follies

Alternative medicine has a high social prevalence, being promoted by well organized groups that have developed an intricate rhetoric in order to self-justify in the absence of evidence. This article will analyse some of these arguments, some of their fallacies ??ad populum, ad ignorantiam??, other styles of reasoning ??conspiracy theories?? and other misconceptions of scientific concepts ??placebo effect, scientific authority. The objective will be to highlight the poverty of the rhetoric of proponents of alternative medicine, with special emphasis on the dangers for the consumer

Revised and short versions of the pseudoscientific belief scale

This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Fasce, A, Avendaño, D, Adrián‐Ventura, J. Revised and short versions of the pseudoscientific belief scale. Appl Cognit Psychol. 2021; 1– 5, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3811. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.In this article, we develop the revised and short versions of the pseudoscientific belief scale through two empirical studies (N = 4154). This revision is motivated by the excessive length of the scale, as well as by consistent observations of poor item loadings across several studies. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 revealed 11 dispensable items, resulting in a 19‐item revised form, whereas in Study 2 we constructed a short eight‐item form. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed unidimensional factor structures for both scales, exhibiting excellent psychometric properties in relation to factor structure, item loadings, internal consistency and convergent validity with paranormal beliefs, conspiracy theories and need for uniqueness. Whereas the original scale provides reliable indices, we encourage the use of these improved versions to measure pseudoscientific beliefs in the context of socio‐psychological studies

Do as the Romans do: On the authoritarian roots of pseudoscience

Recent research highlights the implications of group dynamics in the acceptance and promotion of misconceptions, particularly in relation to the identity-protective attitudes that boost polarisation over scientific information. In this study, we successfully test a mediational model between right-wing authoritarianism and pseudoscientific beliefs. First, we carry out a comprehensive literature review on the socio-political background of pseudoscientific beliefs. Second, we conduct two studies (n=1189 and n=1097) to confirm our working hypotheses: H1 – intercorrelation between pseudoscientific beliefs, authoritarianism and three axioms (reward for application, religiosity and fate control); H2 – authoritarianism and social axioms fully explain rightists’ proneness to pseudoscience; and H3 – the association between pseudoscience and authoritarianism is partially mediated by social axioms. Finally, we discuss our results in relation to their external validity regarding paranormal and conspiracy beliefs, as well as to their implications for group polarisation and science communication

Principi e criteri dell'urbanistica romana: la sistemazione della città nell'<i>Epistolario</i> di Plinio il Giovane

Quando nei testi antichi si rintracciano concetti simili o corrispondenti a quelli della civiltà moderna o quando, durante la lettura dei testi antichi, risaltano concetti che appaiono di impressionante attualità, il rigore scientifico impone una doverosa cautela e un giusto sospetto: cautela nel procedere in tale tipo di «lettura», sospetto di operare una deformazione sia estendendo indebitamente taluni princìpi della nostra cultura scientifica al mondo antico sia adottando il punto di vista particolare e comunque «parziale» dell'indagine condotta sul filo di un tema specifico. Inoltre, non si può trascurare un altro e forse ancora più grande rischio, che si corre in ricerche di tal genere: il rischio, o la tentazione, di spiegare in termini di «origine» o di «primordi» le dichiarazioni e le testimonianze delle fonti letterarie riconducibili a determinati settori disciplinari. Se è ovvio che in questo contributo non si intende parlare di origini dell'urbanistica né applicare al passato princìpi e teorie dell'urbanistica moderna, ci sembra d'altra parte interessante sottolineare come dalla corrispondenza fra Plinio il Giovane e Traiano sia possibile cogliere lo spaccato di un sistema di organizzazione e di sistemazione del suolo urbano che è in stretto rapporto con l'ordine delle attività culturali e dei motivi ispiratori della politica imperiale del tempo