Thinking possibilistically in a probabilistic world

We cannot live on the knife edge of disaster all the time. We cannot even think about disastrous extremes with any clarity, says Lee Clarke . For 300 years we have equated thinking probabilistically with thinking rationally, but is that enough for thinking about terrorism, air crashes—or even God?     

Safety culture: under-specified and overrated?

Is the measurement of 'safety culture' a valid management tool in the effort to reduce accident rate and improve safety performance, or is it a fuzzy academic concept, lacking empirical validation? The answer to this question seems to depend on whom one asks. The UK Health and Safety Commission has encouraged companies to improve their safety performance through the development of a 'positive safety culture'. However, academic discussions in this area suggest that the concept remains vague, lacks empirical validation and is used as an 'umbrella term' for all the social and organizational factors that affect accident rate. This paper reviews the existing literature on safety culture and provides some clarification in terms of definition, empirical evidence and theoretical development. A theoretical framework of the mechanisms by which safety culture affects safety behaviours in organizations is proposed. The implications for practical management issues are discussed and future challenges and areas for further research are identified.     

«Land of East Wind»: mise en forme d'une mémoire mi'gmaq*

This essay follows from an historical study of Heron Island (Baie des Chaleurs), and in particular, the relationship between the island and the members, past and present, of the Eel River Bar Band, from the reserve of the same name. It aims to explore elements brought to light through my observation of members of the band, and notably the processes by which the latter strive to fashion a renewed connection with Heron Island; that is, to Self and to the world. Purposefully multidisciplinary, this study focusses on the representation/construction of space and on the manner in which it acts upon its derivatives in the form of collective memory and identity. Situated at the intersection of the symbolic and material realms, this essay endeavours to shed light on the formation of the narratives that, in this instance, constitute the production (mise en scene) of a perspective space of symbolization and social objectification—a process articulated on the enunciation of goals related to socio‐economic development and autonomy. At the same time, it is an attempt to account for a number of correlates to discourse, particularly practices related to social reconfiguration and the exercise of power, in a context marked by a quest for self‐determination and revitalism. In short, it is an examination of a case of resistance and accommodation by a small indigenous group seeking a new world‐vision. Le présent essai découle d'une étude historique portant sur l'île au Héron (Baie‐des‐Chaleurs) et en particulier sur les liens qui s'éta‐blissent entre celle‐ci et les membres, passés et présents, de la bande Eel River Bar, de la réserve du même nom. Il vise à explorer les éléments mis en relief par des observations faites dans le cadre de mes relations avec des membres de la bande, notamment les processus de l'élaboration d'un rapport renouveléà l'île au Héron, c'est‐à‐dire au Soi et au monde. Résolument multidisciplinaire, c'est une étude de cas qui porte sur la représentation/construction de l'espace et sur la façon dont celle‐ci influe sur la mémoire collective et sur l'identité qui en dérive. Sis à l'intersection de l'univers symbolique et de l'univers matériel, cet essai cherche à mettre au jour la formation des récits qui, dans ce cas, constituent la mise en scène d'un espace perspectif de symbolisation et d'objectivation sociale, un processus articulé sur l'énonciation de desseins de développement socio‐économique et d'autonomie. Parallèlement, il s'attache àéclairer les pratiques corrélatives au discursif, qui se nomment reconfiguration sociale et déploiement du pouvoir, dans un contexte de prise en main et de velléités revitalistes. En somme, il s'agit d'examiner un cas de résistance et d'accommodement de la part d'un groupe autochtone de petite taille, en mal de vision‐monde.     

Fathers and absent fathers: Sociodemographic similarities in britain and the united states

Using data from the British Household Panel Survey and the National Survey of Families and Households in the United States, we present a sociodemographic profile of fathers and compare the determinants of absent fatherhood in each country. Although fatherhood has a younger profile in the United States, especially for blacks, predictors of fathers’ residency with their children are remarkably similar in the two countries. In both countries, the strongest predictor of a father’s absence is the parents’ relationship to each other at the time of the child’s birth. Policy implications of this finding are discussed.     

Introduction: “Where Would I Be Without You”

Where Would I Be Without You, the first and only poetry recording from Olivia Records, offers a glimpse into the powerful friendship and artistic collaboration between poets Pat Parker and Judy Grahn. Grahn and Parker met in Oakland, California in 1970, beginning an artistic collaboration and a powerful friendship that endured through Parker's death in 1989. Grahn's and Parker's work spread the good news of poetry; they were integral to how we lesbians imagined our voices in the world. The articles in this special issue reconsider and pay tribute to their work.     

Inside stories: Maternal representations of first time mothers from pre-pregnancy to early pregnancy

BackgroundAccording to the psychoanalytical literature, it is during pregnancy that maternal representations of the mother–infant relationship become activated. Midwives who are engaged with the mother and the baby have not drawn upon this concept in their practice. In order for this to happen, it is important to understand better the nature of maternal representations and when they are activated from empirical studies.QuestionThe research question is: what are the maternal representations of a group of first time mothers from pre-pregnancy, early pregnancy and to the first ultrasound.MethodA narrative approach was used to gain insight into the maternal representations of first time pregnant womens’ account of their representations. The analysis method was based on thematic approach.ParticipantsFifteen women aged between 23 and 38 years.SettingA midwives clinic attached to a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia.FindingsFirst-time pregnant women's maternal representations were activated when a woman begins to plan her pregnancy (‘the time is right’), again at the onset of physical changes to her body as a result of conception (‘my body is changing’), and at the first early ultrasound at around twelve weeks (‘it’ is a real baby).ConclusionMaternal representations are important for the midwife and pregnant women because this concept provides another understanding in relation to the psychological dimension of pregnancy.     

The importance of preservation of the ethical principle of equipoise in the design of clinical trials: relative impact of the methodological quality domains on the treatment effect in randomized controlled trials

Previous research has identified methodological problems in the design and conduct of randomized trials that could, if left unaddressed, lead to biased results. In this report we discuss one such problem, inadequate control intervention, and argue that it can be by far the most important design characteristic of randomized trials in overestimating the effect of new treatments. Current guidelines for the design and reporting of randomized trials, such as the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement, do not address the choice of the comparator intervention. We argue that an adequate control intervention can be selected if people designing a trial explicitly take into consideration the ethical principle of equipoise, also known as "the uncertainty principle."     

Behavioral Stability Across Time and Situations: Nonverbal Versus Verbal Consistency

Behavioral consistency has been at the center of debates regarding the stability of personality. We argue that people are consistent but that such consistency is best observed in nonverbal behavior. In Study 1, participants’ verbal and nonverbal behaviors were observed in a mock interview and then in an informal interaction. In Study 2, medical students’ verbal and nonverbal behaviors were observed during first- and third-year clinical skills evaluation. Nonverbal behavior exhibited consistency across context and time (a duration of 2 years) whereas verbal behavior did not. Discussion focuses on implications for theories of personality and nonverbal behavior.