Dichotomous Thinking Research Articles

Autistic traits linked to anxiety and dichotomous thinking: sensory sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as mediators in non-clinical population

A recent theoretical cognitive model posits that three cognitive constructs—intolerance of uncertainty, lack of predictive processing, and dichotomous thinking—may interact with anxiety in autistic individuals. However, the interrelationships among these constructs remain unclear. We investigated this relationship in a non-clinical population using five questionnaires (Autism Spectrum Quotient, Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire, Short Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and Dichotomous Thinking Inventory) and conducted a path analysis. Data were collected from 405 adults (aged 20–22 years) in Experiment 1 and 628 (aged 20–49 years) in Experiment 2. In both experiments, autistic traits were significantly associated with both anxiety and dichotomous thinking, mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. Autistic traits were linked to intolerance of uncertainty, mediated by atypical sensory processing. Furthermore, autistic traits were directly associated with anxiety. No direct association was observed between anxiety and dichotomous thinking. Our results confirm the validity of Stark’s cognitive model in a non-clinical population. These findings provide new insights into anxiety and dichotomous thinking and shed light on the cognitive styles of autistic individuals.

유연한 섭식절제가 섭식통제상실에 미치는 영향: 이분법적 사고와 반추의 매개효과(20대 여성을 대상으로)

Objectives This research attempts to subdivide controlled eating and binge eating behavior, and investigate the effects of flexible controlled eating on people’s psychological health. One also presents loss of control eating, a sub-variable of binge eating, as the independent variable to provide evidence on effective interventions when it comes to eating disorders. Methods 301 women in their twenties were surveyed online for data collection. SPSS 23.0 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while MPLUS 7.4 was used to test structural modeling and mediation effects. Results First, all of the major variables were significantly positively correlated. Second, flexible control predicted loss of control eating both directly and indirectly. Third, dichotomous thinking did not mediate the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating. Fourth, rumination mediated the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating. Fifth, dichotomous thinking and rumination mediated the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating in such order. Conclusions Such results show that high level of flexible control is associated with high level of dichotomous thinking and rumination, leading to increased loss of control eating. This indicates that women with high levels of flexible control can proceed through dichotomous thinking towards eating and rumination, subjecting them towards uncontrolled eating behaviors. One would conclude that control over eating according to external standards such as eating regulations, not internal hunger, may paradoxically lead to loss of control over eating.

Damaging dichotomies and confounding contradictions in mental health inpatient nursing: lessons learned from Orwell’s 1984

PurposeThis discursive paper considers the use of restrictive practices in mental health inpatient settings and how these are often prioritised over relational approaches, especially where the diagnostic label of personality disorder intersects with risk.Design/methodology/approachKey concepts from Orwell’s 1984 are studied for their pertinence to mental health inpatient settings, supporting our argument that restrictive practices arise from dichotomous thinking and externalised fears.FindingsDrawing upon Orwellian themes of power, social control and digital surveillance from 1984, the authors highlight the role of fear in perpetuating restrictive practices under a guise of benevolent care in mental health inpatient settings, especially for those who are diagnosed with a personality disorder. A lack of preparedness to work with complexity in such environments, coupled with a deficit in self-reflexivity and critical thinking, can exacerbate challenges.Research limitations/implicationsTo transcend damaging dichotomies and reduce restrictive practices in inpatient settings, the authors make the argument for the adequate preparation and education of the mental health nurse and authentic, collaborative, user-involved care.Originality/valueThe authors use Orwell’s novel to support a critical discourse around those damaging dichotomies and inherent contradictions that contribute to restrictive practice in contemporary mental health settings and to question whose interests’ these restrictive practices serve.

Comparing researchers' degree of dichotomous thinking using frequentist versus Bayesian null hypothesis testing.

A large amount of scientific literature in social and behavioural sciences bases their conclusions on one or more hypothesis tests. As such, it is important to obtain more knowledge about how researchers in social and behavioural sciences interpret quantities that result from hypothesis test metrics, such as p-values and Bayes factors. In the present study, we explored the relationship between obtained statistical evidence and the degree of belief or confidence that there is a positive effect in the population of interest. In particular, we were interested in the existence of a so-called cliff effect: A qualitative drop in the degree of belief that there is a positive effect around certain threshold values of statistical evidence (e.g., at p = 0.05). We compared this relationship for p-values to the relationship for corresponding degrees of evidence quantified through Bayes factors, and we examined whether this relationship was affected by two different modes of presentation (in one mode the functional form of the relationship across values was implicit to the participant, whereas in the other mode it was explicit). We found evidence for a higher proportion of cliff effects in p-value conditions than in BF conditions (N = 139), but we did not get a clear indication whether presentation mode had an effect on the proportion of cliff effects. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 2 June 2023. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5CW6P .

Breaking Binaries: The Critical Need for Feminist Bioethics in Pediatric Gender-Affirming Care.

This commentary responds to Moti Gorin's article "What Is the Aim of Pediatric 'Gender-Affirming' Care?" We argue that Gorin's case against pediatric gender-affirming care rests upon numerous false conceptual binaries: female/male, public/private, objective/subjective, and medically necessary/elective. Drawing on feminist bioethics, we show how such dichotomous thinking is both inaccurate and marginalizing of gender minorities.

Trends in Science Humanities Convergence Education in Japanese Universities and their Implications

As science and technology advance, fundamental changes are taking place in individual lives and society. At this time, the dichotomous thinking that excessively distinguishes between science and humanities, as is prevalent in Korea and Japan, hinders the nurturing of the next generation’s capabilities. Since the 21st century, the Japanese government has continued to promote transversal and/or convergence education in science and humanities to overcome the limitations of early specialization in secondary education and the resulting limitations in college education. With the help of government financial and policy support, Japanese universities offer transversal education in a variety of ways, such as degree programs in interdisciplinary fields such as environmental studies and data science, a problem-solving-oriented curriculum, the activation of double major and minor systems, and bachelor degree programs in the liberal arts. Also, a trend began to redefine education goals to fit its nature and strengthen the liberal arts and sciences. This article explores the background and process of promoting transversal education through the Japanese government's official documents and articles, showing that it is being carried out within the larger framework of the pursuit of liberal arts in the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Lastly, this study shows that these trends fit into the context of liberal education and demonstrates how this field is reemerging globally.

Artemio Cruz and the Question of Choice

Carlos Fuentes’s 1962 novel La muerte de Artemio Cruz is a fundamental work in twentieth century fiction. The theme of choice permeates and complicates the novel’s plot. Behind these choices is what appears to be a win-or-lose mentality, as Artemio seems to perceive the world as divided between chingones and chingados. This dichotomy is one that echoes the discourse of Mexican intellectual, writer, and diplomat Octavio Paz (1914–1998) in his well-known book on Mexican identity, El laberinto de la soledad (1950). Building on previous criticism that studies the intertextual relationship between the two works, this paper argues that Fuentes’s protagonist embodies Paz’s theoretical description of un hijo de la Chingada, simultaneously paying tribute to Paz’s book while also questioning and problematizing its dichotomous thinking. Artemio’s individuality, highlighted by the novel’s opening (“Yo despierto…”) and its closing (“moriré”), is something often overlooked by criticism that views Artemio Cruz as a trope, more than a man. Throughout the novel Artemio encounters doubles of himself that force moments of reflection. These doubles haunt him on his deathbed, creating a crisis of conscience that complicates the reader’s interpretation of Cruz as protagonist. To presume that Artemio Cruz is merely a literary manifestation of Paz’s theory is to overlook the craftsmanship behind his construction as a complex character who reflects on how the choices he has made have shaped his life and legacy.

‘We’re not right-wing or racist but…’: Far-right myth and distributive conflict in asylum seeker related protest in the Republic of Ireland, November 2022–July 2023

The Republic of Ireland has seen numerous protests around asylum seeker accommodation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with noted involvement of the far right. But what are protestors actually demanding? And how do they feel about far-right involvement in such protests? This article is based on quotes found in 144 media articles, published between November 2022 and July 2023, from people protesting in support of and against asylum seeker accommodation in the State. It finds that among those protesting against such accommodation, complaints about security, access to services and lack of consultation predominate. Nevertheless, many such protestors repeat common far-right racist and xenophobic tropes while simultaneously distancing themselves from the far right. Similarly, those supporting asylum seeker accommodation reject the far right while recognising the validity of many of the structural and political complaints of those who protest against asylum seekers. Based on this analysis, we suggest that such apparently dichotomous thinking among protestors deserves further research scrutiny, particularly, with regard to difficulties in disentangling far-right-inspired racist and xenophobic tropes from legitimate grievances around structural and resource issues.

A social inference model of idealization and devaluation.

People often form polarized beliefs, imbuing objects (e.g., themselves or others) with unambiguously positive or negative qualities. In clinical settings, this is referred to as dichotomous thinking or "splitting" and is a feature of several psychiatric disorders. Here, we introduce a Bayesian model of splitting that parameterizes a tendency to rigidly categorize objects as either entirely "Bad" or "Good," rather than to flexibly learn dispositions along a continuous scale. Distinct from the previous descriptive theories, the model makes quantitative predictions about how dichotomous beliefs emerge and are updated in light of new information. Specifically, the model addresses how splitting is context-dependent, yet exhibits stability across time. A key model feature is that phases of devaluation and/or idealization are consolidated by rationally attributing counter-evidence to external factors. For example, when another person is idealized, their less-than-perfect behavior is attributed to unfavorable external circumstances. However, sufficient counter-evidence can trigger switches of polarity, producing bistable dynamics. We show that the model can be fitted to empirical data, to measure individual susceptibility to relational instability. For example, we find that a latent categorical belief that others are "Good" accounts for less changeable, and more certain, character impressions of benevolent as opposed to malevolent others among healthy participants. By comparison, character impressions made by participants with borderline personality disorder reveal significantly higher and more symmetric splitting. The generative framework proposed invites applications for modeling oscillatory relational and affective dynamics in psychotherapeutic contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Weight Loss After Weight-Loss Surgery: The Mediating Role of Dichotomous Thinking.

Overly rigid forms of dietary restraint are associated with poorer weight loss outcomes. Dichotomous ("all or nothing") thinking has been shown to mediate this relationship in non-clinical participants, but this finding has yet to be replicated in clinical samples of individuals who have had weight-loss surgery. A cross-sectional design was used, adopting quantitative questionnaires with 129 individuals who had previously underwent bariatric surgery at least 12months prior to participation. Bootstrapped mediation analysis was used to establish the mediating role of dichotomous thinking. Eating-specific dichotomous thinking was shown to fully mediate the relationship between dietary restraint and post-surgical weight loss. In contrast, no mediation effect was found for generalised dichotomous thinking. Dichotomous thinking specifically about food/eating may play a central role in weight loss maintenance after weight-loss surgery. Pre-surgical assessment of dichotomous thinking, and provision of psychological therapy to think more flexibly about food, is suggested.

An Unfinished Quest: David J. Bosch’s Legacy Concerning the Relationship between Evangelism and Service

Abstract David Bosch calls the relationship between evangelism and service “one of the thorniest areas” in Missiology. He analyses and criticises Western dichotomic thinking, which tends to contrast evangelism and service, word and deed, soul and body. This is the source of what Bosch calls “a battle for supremacy” between evangelism and service, and during his own life, he committed himself to “a personal quest” for a non-dichotomic understanding of evangelism and service. The present article presents Bosch’s reflection of the relationship between evangelism and service over a period of more than two decades. It analyses his approaches in overcoming the Western dichotomic thinking in this regard and argues that Bosch’s “personal quest” remained an unfinished quest, which we are invited to join. This can be seen as his legacy concerning the relationship between evangelism and service.

A torn generation: Dichotomies and dissonances on sustainability and technological change in in-depth interviews with university students

AbstractIn a research study among university students regarding technological change, equality and environmental sustainability, deep-seated dichotomies were found in the students' mental images of the future. This study aims to present these dichotomies as well as propose explanations for them, adding to our understanding of what kind of behavioural barriers inhibit sustainability transformations. The results show that the interviewees truly struggle to decide if the world really is on fire regarding environmental change, if technology is capable of solving the situation, if inequality is truly a problem, and how they can relate to all this. The dichotomies that we found suggest that on the one hand, they find no comfort in the dominant techno-optimistic, eco-modernisation narratives and, on the other hand, they are not aware of any alternatives. The results underline the existence of psychological phenomena such as optimism bias or psychological distancing. In our paper, we also address whether dichotomous thinking poses a problem or whether we may have to accept that dichotomies can become the norm when contemplating the world in its increasing complexity.

The Effect of Socially Prescribed Perfectionism in Upper Elementary School Students on Their Interpersonal Anxiety: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Dichotomous Thinking and Rejection Sensitivity

This study examined the effects of perceived discrimination on multicultural adolescents regarding feelings of This study examined the direct effect of socially prescribed perfectionism on interpersonal anxiety in upper elementary school students and the sequential mediating effect of dichotomous thinking and rejection sensitivity on this relationship. The sample comprised 306 upper elementary school students (grades 4 to 6; 149 boys, 48.7%) in Seoul, Incheon, and Busan. The Data were collected through an online self-report questionnaire completed by the participants and analyzed using SPSS version 27.0 and MPlus version 8.7 software. The analyses revealed three key findings. First the direct effect of socially prescribed perfectionism on interpersonal anxiety was not statistically significant. Second dichotomous thinking mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and interpersonal anxiety, whereas rejection sensitivity did not. Finally, socially prescribed perfectionism influenced interpersonal anxiety through the sequential mediation of dichotomous thinking and rejection sensitivity. In conclusion, although socially prescribed perfectionism does not directly influence interpersonal anxiety, children may experience interpersonal anxiety in situations involving dichotomous thinking due to socially prescribed perfectionism, leading to rejection sensitivity. These findings suggest that interventions for interpersonal anxiety in upper elementary school students should focus on psychological problems attributed to socially prescribed perfectionism.

Us Versus Them? The Problem of Cognitive Distortions in Policing

The literature on cognitive distortions offers insight on why we continue to face reform challenges regarding police use of force- and citizen interaction-related outcomes. We used two studies of police officers to determine the extent to which one cognitive distortion—dichotomous thinking—was associated with problematic orientations about use of force and citizen interactions. In Study 1, we found that dichotomous thinking was associated with weaker support for de-escalation, procedural justice, and maintaining self-control during hypothetical citizen interactions. Dichotomous thinking also was associated with more support for force-related misconduct. Study 2 showed that officers who engaged in dichotomous thinking were more likely to perceive an immediate and serious threat from watching suspects in body-worn camera videos. Also, they were more likely to believe suspects had greater ability, opportunity, and intent to cause harm. We discuss the practical implications of these findings for policing and police reform.

RHETORICAL LISTENING AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EXPLORING THE BLACK PETE DEBATE IN FLANDERS

ABSTRACT Discussing issues around race and racism often leads to unproductive stances such as defensiveness, denial, guilt, blame, or dysfunctional silence. Effectively addressing these stances is crucial for productive debate and action toward racial understanding and the undoing of racism. While numerous scholarship and professional development programs focus on critical and anti-racist pedagogies in higher education to tackle these unproductive stances, overcoming dichotomous thinking (i.e., “us” versus “them”) and shifting the focus from individual stances to more systemic perspectives remains a challenge. To address this challenge, this article proposes the implementation of “rhetorical listening” as a powerful pedagogical tool that generates new vocabularies and facilitates personal and social transformation. The article explores how rhetorical listening can be conceptualized and operationalized as a pedagogical tool in a cultural studies course, specifically encouraging students to reposition themselves when engaging with societal issues related to race, such as the Black Pete debate in Flanders.

Gender Differences in Anxiety During COVID-19: Preference for Dichotomy and Solitude

Higher levels of anxiety have been observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for women. The present research investigated if gender differences in anxiety are due in part to dichotomous thinking and a preference for solitude. A total of 391 college students responded to an online questionnaire that included the Dichotomous Thinking Inventory and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results showed that preference for dichotomy and solitude significantly contributed to higher anxiety for women, but not for men. These patterns were not observed for depression. Instead, having stronger belief in, rather than preference for, dichotomy contributed to increased depression for men, whereas preference for solitude was associated with depression for women. Intervention programs are needed to address the role that thought style plays in mental health, especially as society tends to be polarized during the COVID-19 pandemic.

김봉진의 ‘삼원사고’와 그 비판

In this article, I summarized the contents (introduction and 9 chapters) and the significances of Kim Bongjin’s book, titled Seeing the Old Future Again: Solving the East Asian History of Concepts from the Tri-dimensional Thinking. And, from my viewpoint, I laid criticism against a few flaws of the book. To sum up the significances, I would like to put some of them as below: First, simple and clear explanation for understanding the original meaning of several concepts of East Asia, frequently used in a branch of politics or diplomacy. Second, persuasive argument about the difference of the modern/modernity between Korea/China and Japan – between the ‘Confucian modern/ modernity’ and the ‘military ruling modern/modernity.’ Third, to bring up an important matter, that is, ‘the spell of (Western) modern/modernity.’ Fourth and the last, to suggest the necessary use of the ‘tri-dimensional thinking.’ Those are, I think, worthy of high evaluation.
 Kim Bongjin has put forward the ‘tri-dimensional thinking’ as a methodology to overcome the faults of the ‘dualistic, dichotomic thinking,’ rooted in (Western) modernism. I basically agree with him about this. Indeed, the dichotomic thinking, related with the black and white logic, produces a lot of problems and harmful effects. I wish he could continue to elaborate the tri-dimensional thinking. For this, I raised five questions about his arguments: First, I wonder whether the principles of Um-Yang (Ch: Yin-Yang) can be compatible with the thought of equality. Second, is it possible to draw an idea of the ‘rights of Chŏnlijayŏn (Ch; Tianliziran, the Nature of Heavenly Principle)’ out of li, the Neo-Confucian concept. Third, does the concept of order necessarily entail hierarchy? Concerning the usage of ‘equal order,’ is there a contradiction between equlity and order? Fourth, the confusion Um-Yang theory with li-gi (Ch: li-qi) theory. Fifth, does he make an enough his explanation for Toegye’s theory of sadan-chiljŏng (Ch: siduan qiqing, four beginnings and seven feelings)? If he could answer these questions well enough, his argument over the ‘tri-dimensional thinking’ would become more elaborated and persuasive.

토니 모리슨의 웃음: 언어적 기능과 담론의 무기

Morrison's laughter is different from that of any other literary work. Morrison uses laughter as a weapon for a discourse that dismantles the contradictions of Western conventions built up by dichotomous and rationalistic thinking. She uses laughter as a linguistic function to represent her discourse and a weapon of the discourse. By presenting the characteristics of African American laughter, that is, autonomous, unconscious, lasting for a long time, having a healing function, and combining with tears and dance, Morrison proves cultural differences and also shows the linguistic function of laughter. In addition, Morrison uses the recovery of laughter as a stepping stone to prepare for the future regarding the loss of their unique laughter as the loss of a foundation for life or the loss of the will to live.
 Morrison creates laughter as a weapon of discourse that resists dominant thinking prevents violence, and transcendent and universal discourses that break away from rationalism. This kind of laughter represents a difference rather than a language-to-language discourse and shows that there can be a variety of substitutes for language. The invention of imaginary and unrealistic laughter expands the horizons of laughter to unknown areas. Morrison's laughter does not create comedy but contains elements of both comedy and tragedy, transcends the limits of language, evokes empathy beyond language, and embraces a broader scope than the space-time contained in language. Morrison's invention of laughter means that laughter is not fixed, but changes and is created anew like language. The use of laughter allows Morrison’s extraordinary discourse as social, philosophical and cultural views to be flowered in a high level of literary art.

Creation of a telehealth application empowering patients with multiple sclerosis: MyApp4SEP

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. International recommendations advocate multidisciplinary management in specialized centers, still not widely accessible at present. Moreover, this doesn’t fit to newly diagnosed or pauci-symptomatic patients that are still professionally active. Ultimately, the lack of recognition of invisible disorders still persists.
 The use of e-health as tool for care has been evaluated for many years and its growth is supported by various evidence of its effectiveness in MS.
 To our knowledge no comprehensive e-health tool exists in Belgium that aims at empowering MS patients from the prodromal to a more advanced disease stage.
 Policy Context And Objective: Following our involvement in the national and regional public health plan "Integrated Care for a better health" (www.integreo.be) via the federal project Chronicopôle, we gave up the ""symptom and discipline-centered"" approach to develop a more integrated one : health promotion tied to the daily life of patients.
 A strong involvement of users in every stages of development of a e-health solution is required to meet their specificities and needs. Placing them at the heart of the thinking process was therefore mandatory.
 Such a design needs a multi-step approach involving: Analysis of user needs, definition of desired functionality and finally, development and testing of acceptability and user experience.
 We partnered with the Wallonia e-health Living Lab (WeLL) for methodological guidance to achieve this. Based on their approach, different workshops were proposed, first to a group of MS patients, but also to a group of health professionals, in order to leave a dichotomous thinking framework.
 Target Population: Any Belgian French speaking person (Dutch translation pending) with MS. Healthcare professionals involved in MS patients care.
 Highlights: Two workshops (n = 11 patients) were organized in collaboration with the WeLL. They took place at their offices and focused on fundamental needs/issues in care pathways of patients. Furthermore, a specific workshop for health professionals was also organized. From the aggregation of these two expertises emerged the architecture and functionalities of our tool.
 The application content was determined as follow: patient record, documentation (developing literacy), peer’s good tips, toolbox (exercises, questionnaires), diary and logbook, directory (personal and relevant resources).
 During the IT development, all the patients/partners were able to give their opinion and validate each step via a functional analysis of each module. Finally, about 20 patients tested the application during a period of 3 months. Final modifications were made before publishing on the main application stores.
 Conclusion: MyApp4SEP is fully developed and available for free on the Play Store and the App Store starting from november 2022.
 Co-creation leads our project and aims at maximize health literacy by putting as first objective coping with real world caveats of our patients.
 The goal for the next few years is evolve the app based on patients/users feedbacks and propositions but also by developing partnership with other teams working in a "patient-centered" approach among other chronic diseases.

Sex Workers’ Professional Experiences in the Interplay of Structure and Agency in Croatia

There are still relatively few studies on job satisfaction and the quality of work ‎among sex workers, partly due to the ideologies surrounding sex work. In this ‎paper we move away from dichotomous thinking and investigate the professional experiences of indoor independent sex workers in Croatia against the ‎background of criminalised context and gendered socio-economic realities. ‎We look into sex workers’ motivations, perceptions and experiences, their ‎control and safety strategies.‎ The study shows that despite many structural constraints on the sex workers’ agency, all participants exercise some degree of autonomy and control ‎over their working lives. The factors that seem to be the most relevant in terms ‎of their ability to set up their own conditions, which in turn influences their experiences, are their economic situation, motivation and self-perception. Negative experiences mostly stem from criminalisation and stigmatisation of sex ‎work, which affects women primarily, and creates more risks to their health ‎and safety. The results of the study call for integrative policy approaches, ‎which presuppose full decriminalisation of adult voluntary sex work.