Domestic spaces

This chapter discusses Jewish domestic space in Egypt, Syria, Judaea, Asia Minor, and Italy from the third century BCE to the end of the second century CE using material and literary evidence. Domestic spaces vary along geographical but especially socio‐economic lines. Wealthy households lived in large mansions while poor families crammed into small rooms in high‐rise buildings. Elite and non‐elite domestic spaces doubled as areas for work and business. A persistent difficulty is identifying markers of religious or cultural identity in domestic architecture that might distinguish Jewish and non‐Jewish homes; for the most part, Jewish homes have more in common with other homes of similar status than with co‐religionists of different status. Jews lived in the same kind of homes as their non‐Jewish neighbors

Mood stability versus mood instability in bipolar disorder: a possible role for emotional mental imagery

A cognitive model of bipolar disorder suggests that mental imagery acts as an emotional amplifier of mood and may be heightened in bipolar disorder. First, we tested whether patients with bipolar disorder would score higher on mental imagery measures than a matched healthy control group. Second, we examined differences in imagery between patients divided into groups according to their level of mood stability. Mood ratings over approximately 6-months, made using a mobile phone messaging system, were used to divide patients into stable or unstable groups. Clinician decisions of mood stability were corroboarated with statistical analysis. Results showed (I) compared to healthy controls, patients with bipolar disorder had significantly higher scores for general mental imagery use, more vivid imagery of future events, higher levels of intrusive prospective imagery, and more extreme imagery-based interpretation bias; (II) compared to patients with stable mood, patients with unstable mood had higher levels of intrusive prospective imagery, and this correlated highly with their current levels of anxiety and depression. The findings were consistent with predictions. Further investigation of imagery in bipolar disorder appears warranted as it may highlight processes that contribute to mood instability with relevance for cognitive behaviour therapy