Feelings Of Pessimism Research Articles

The Political Economy and Urban Racial Tensions

Recent books such as Andrew Hacker's Two Nations (1992) and Derrick Bell's Faces at the Bottom of the Well (1992) promote the view that racial antagonisms are so deep seated, so primordial that feelings of pessimism about whether America can overcome racist senti ments and actions are justified. The events surrounding the recent rebellion in Los Angeles, the worst race riot in the nation's history, aggravated these feelings. However, in this atmosphere of heightened racial awareness we forget or overlook the fact that racial antago nisms are products of situations?economic situations, political situations, and social situa tions. To understand the manifestation of racial antagonisms during certain periods, is to com prehend, from both analytic and policy perspec tives, the situations that increase and reduce them. As revealed in the title I have chosen for this paper (The Political Economy and Urban Racial Tensions), I shall try to demonstrate this important point by showing how the interrela tions of political policies and economic and social processes directly and indirectly affect racial tensions in urban America. In the tradition

The role of citizen scientist in nature resource decision-making: Lessons from the spruce budworm problem in Canada

An increased role for citizen participation in natural resource decision-making has been advocated by, amongst others, the United Nations (Brundtland Commission) as a means of initiating fundamental changes in the way we exploit natural resources. However, attempts at meaningful participation by the public are met with resistance, commonly by the dominant elites who control environmental and economic policies. Citizen groups press for involvement, only to be dismissed by local establishments as ill-informed amateurs. The resulting conflicts seldom lead to innovations in policy or to constructive cooperation in the face of new environmental problems. This leads the author to feelings of pessimism about prospects for genuine public participation in the absence of political change. In arguing in support of such change, a case study is offered which illustrates the unfortunate consequences that ensue when participation is sought and rejected. The paper closes with recommendations for the way in which citizen groups could contribute in a meaningful way to natural resource decision-making, were they to be given the opportunity.

Psychiatric morbidity in patients with HIV infection.

A psychiatric examination was conducted on 144 patients at various stages of HIV infection and on 29 controls found to be seronegative. One-half of the control group had at least one DSM-III-R Axis I diagnosis, most commonly cannabis abuse, alcohol abuse, or adjustment disorder. Compared to this baseline, HIV-infected subjects had higher rates of adjustment disorder. AIDS patients were also more likely to suffer from organic mental disorder. The rate of unemployment increased as the disease progressed. Major depression was seen in only ten patients, and there were no differences between controls and HIV-infected subjects. Formal assessment of mood state and feelings of pessimism also showed no differences among the groups. The importance of helping improve the patient's lifestyle through the control of alcohol and drug abuse is underscored.

Loneliness, Cooperation, and Conformity Among American Undergraduates

Summary Three studies (involving a total of 80 male and 101 female American undergraduates) tested the hypothesis that lonely persons' pessimistic feelings and expectations for self and others would interfere with usually adaptive social processes. Individuals classified as lonely, by the UCLA Loneliness Scale, were less confident in their opinions, and less willing than nonlonely persons to advance their opinions publicly—the first step in the social comparison process. Lonely males also were less conforming to a social consensus when making important judgments about the welfare of another individual. Similarly, they were less influenced by the behavior of a helpful model in a standard altruism experiment. Lonely females, however, were more conforming and more likely to match the responses of the model. Gender differences are discussed in terms of coping mechanisms which may be differentially available to men and women.

Interpersonal correlates of pessimism.

This study examined the relationship between feelings of pessimism and interpersonal behavior in a group of 91 normal, nonclinically depressed individuals. Correlational analysis was employed to assess the magnitude of the relationship between scores on the Hopelessness Scale and the FIRO-B. Significant correlations suggested that increasing pessimism was associated with interpersonal detachment, passivity, and affective insulation. The hypothesis was offered that pessimism and depression may represent a unitary dimension quantitatively different yet qualitatively similar.

What to tell cancer patients. A study of medical attitudes.

A questionnaire and interviews were used to study the policies of 219 physicians about cancer patients. Ninety per cent indicated a preference for not telling. Although clinical experience was cited by three-quarters as the major policy determinant, the data bear no relation to experience or age. Instead, inconsistencies, opinionatedness, and resistance to change and to research were found which indicated emotion-laden a priori personal judgments as the real determinants. Feared reactions to telling (e.g., suicide) could rarely be substantiated. Equally undocumented assumptions were given as justifications for telling. Underlying were feelings of pessimism and futility about cancer. The strong feelings mobilized by our deep and serious concerns for cancer patients, and our difficulties in helping them, stimulate denial mechanisms. These responses, unfortunately, operate as interferences to progress in cancer therapy.

Clinical and electroencephalographical studies on catatonia.

SUMMARY A clinical and electroencephalographical investigation of six cases of schizophrenia in states of catatonic stupor through the whole course was surveyed and revealed as the result significant parallel relations between the clinical courses and electroencephalographical changes, chronologically. The electroencephalographical changes of these cases in order of each stage throughout the whole stupor course are summarized in the table, nearly in accord with the descriptions of the other authors. Concerning clinical symptoms, especially subjective experiences of stupor and stuporous states, these patients are inclined to have the anxious, fearful, depressive and pessimistic feelings together with a variety of delusional ideas derived of these feelings.

Some Suggestions for Intensifying Plant Protection Work

Seven years ago, when the Plant Protection Service was inaugurated in South India in 1949, there was a feeling of pessimism in the minds of the public with regard to its success. It was a time when the ryots were already fed up with methods of control like hand- picking, netting, pruning and the slow-acting pesticides like tobacco- decoction fish-oil soap etc. The introduction of quick-acting chemicals like, BHC, DDT, Zine phosphide and the intensive propaganda and demonstration of pest control operations organised by the Plant Protec- tion staff, dispelled this idea and the ryots are now convinced that Plant Protection service is quite indispensible for stepping up crop-production. Indeed, we have now reached a stage when our services are largely sought after and appreciated instead of our services being reluctantly accepted as before. The ryots have now become pesticide-minded and they are very particular in preventing the incidence of pests, rather than controlling them after their appearance.