ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X182268

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X180963

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Kanazawa (2006) has put forward an evolutionarily grounded theory which claims thatindividuals in wealthier and more egalitarian societies live longer and stay healthier not because they are wealthier or more egalitarian but because they are more intelligent(2006: 637). The claim rests on an argument which asserts that general intelligence is a solution to evolutionarily novel problems and that most dangers to health in contemporary society are evolutionarily novel. Kanazawa also claims that this relationship does not hold in sub‐Saharan Africa. These claims are based on a cross‐national analysis which finds a positive correlation between ‘national’ IQ scores and mortality data. The implication is that intelligence is the principal factor determining longevity in the rest of the world, regardless of issues such as adequacy of diet and availability of health care. Kanazawa's theoretical claims about the evolution of general intelligence as a domain‐specific adaptation are inconsistent with adaptationist analysis: natural selection does not solve general problems. The assumptions that sub‐Saharan Africa is more representative of the evolutionary past than is the rest of the world, and that most hazards to health in contemporary society are evolutionarily novel, are implausible. The methods used are inadequate because Kanazawa argues for causation from correlation and fails to consider alternative explanations. The IQ data are flawed for reasons to do with sample size and sampling, extrapolation and inconsistency across measures. Nor are they temporally compatible with the economic and demog

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X174339

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives.Kanazawa (2006) presented data allegedly supporting a racist version of evolutionary psychology that claims that the populations of wealthier and more egalitarian societies live longer and stay healthier, not because they are wealthier and more egalitarian, but because they are more intelligent. The objectives of this study are: (i) to determine the relationship between IQ and literacy in Kanazawa's sample of countries and (ii) to reanalyse Kanazawa's dataset using measures of literacy in lieu of national IQ test scores.Method.Correlation and regression were employed.Results.National literacy scores across the countries in the sample are highly skewed. In spite of this, the literacy measures are highly correlated with alleged differences in national IQ (r= .83–.86). The measure of literacy together with economic development (GDPpc) and income inequality (Gini coefficient) control at least 59–64% of the variance in national life expectancy at birth.Conclusion.There is no scientific justification for believing that alleged intelligence differences play any role in explaining international differences in health status. Measures of alleged national IQ scores are highly confounded with differences in literacy. Literacy is a key factor in the health of any community and policies designed to enhance the literacy of a population are expected to lead to significant improvements in health sta

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X178128

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

We provide an exposition of the major conceptual, methodological and statistical shortcomings of the paper by Kanazawa (2006), concerning the relationship between intelligence and life expectancy. It is argued that the validity and robustness of the conclusions of the paper are compromised by fundamental problems, including failure to present competing views with fair balance, use of samples of convenience to draw conclusions about populations, performing tests of significance when there is no theoretical basis to do so and confusing association with causation. Given the far‐reaching socio‐economic implications of the conclusions, it is suggested that the messages of the paper be critically evaluated in relation to the major limitations of the resea

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X180224

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Kanazawa's (2006) national‐ and individual‐level analyses seem to support his hypothesis that: IQ scores are better predictors of health than wealth or inequality, except in ‘evolutionarily familiar’ sub‐Saharan Africa which offers limited selection for intelligence (British Journal of Health Psychology11: 623–42). However, the present paper exposes the flawed assumptions, questionable data, inappropriate analyses and biased interpretations on which this thesis was based. It questions the assumptions that: IQ scores are markers of adaptive genetic differences in intelligence; humans evolved within a predictable ‘environment of evolutionary adaptedness’: and this environment characterizes contemporary sub‐Saharan Africa, offering little selection for intelligence. It also demonstrates that the macro‐level data on which these analyses were based were collected across a range of different years, using a range of different sources, and were significantly intercorrelated. While none of these analyses adjusted for study year or study type, all were susceptible to multicollinearity and the ‘ecological fallacy’. These flaws were compounded by the selective presentation and partial interpretation of the analyses, which focused on the absence of an ‘independent’ relationship between ‘national IQ’ and health within sub‐Saharan Africa, but ignored the fact that this is also true for every other region of the world. Likewise, the individual‐level analyses did not explore the relationship between IQ scores, self‐reported income and health by race, which would have demonstrated the impact of the ecological fallacy. Instead, Kanazawa (2006) mistook statistical associations for evidence of causality and falsely concluded that populations in sub‐Saharan Africa are less healthy because they are unin

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910707X180972

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives.To investigate whether personality traits, modern health worries (MHWs) and attitudes to science predict attitudes to, and beliefs about, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This study set out to test whether belief in, and use of CAM was significantly associated with high levels of MHWs, a high level of neuroticism and sceptical attitudes towards science.Methods.Two hundred and forty‐three British adults completed a four part questionnaire that measured MHWs, the Big Five personality traits and beliefs about science and medicine and attitudes to CAM.Results.There were many gender differences in MHWs (females expressed more), though results were similar to previous studies. Contrary to prediction, personality traits were not related to MHWs, CAM usage or beliefs about CAM. Regular and occasional users of CAM did have higher MHWs than those non or infrequent users. Those with high totalled MHWs also tended to believe in the importance of psychological factors in health and illness, as well as the potential harmful effects of modern medicine. Young males who had positive attitudes to science were least likely to be CAM users. Further, positive attitudes to science were associated with increased scepticism about CAM.Conclusion.Concern about health, belief about modern medicine and CAM are logically inter‐related. Those who have high MHWs tend to be more sceptical about modern medicine and more convinced of the possible role of psychological factors in personal health and illn

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910706X100593

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives.This study was designed to investigate how symptom reporting varies by time of day, day of the week, gender and generation.Design.Concurrent symptom reporting was assessed prospectively using a computer‐assisted self‐report method.Methods.A computer‐assisted self‐observation method was used to assess concurrent somatic complaints six times a day for 7 consecutive days. Parents and adolescents from 173 families (568 individuals) filled in questionnaires during a normal workweek. A generalized linear model approach for multi‐level models was used to analyse the multiple daily observations.Results.Results show a curvilinear within‐day pattern for the reporting of somatic complaints, such that complaints were reported most in the morning and evening and least in the middle of the day. On weekends, participants reported fewer complaints in the evening. Women reported more symptoms throughout the day. Adolescents show an earlier and more pronounced increase in symptom reporting towards the evening. In addition, a slight decline in symptom reporting over the observation period was observed.Conclusion.Symptom reporting changes throughout the day, and is influenced by gender, generation and day

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910706X102726

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives.Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) has an adverse effect on women's quality of life. Research has suggested that many women become dissatisfied with their care and withdraw from seeking help despite continuing symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore the processes which lead to disengagement and to understand the psychosocial processes that affect this group of women.Design.A qualitative narrative approach was used, guided by phenomenological‐hermeneutic tradition, and informed by the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur.Method.Thirty‐two women with CPP were asked to write their stories about their illness trajectories. These written stories served as data which were analysed thematically according to narrative theory.Results.In the search for validation and recognition women engaged in the diagnostic cycle. Many women do not complete this cycle, become stuck at a certain point, or re‐enter the cycle repeatedly. They can only opt out if the problem is resolved or by choosing to disengage with medical care.Conclusion.While the medical consultation was a dominant theme, a complex interaction of factors was required to initiate disengagement. The dualistic nature of the diagnostic process prohibits women from telling their stories. Women were left feeling disempowered and in limbo, and they were at a loss as to how to manage their

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910706X104076

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives.To examine the potential impact of visual personalized biomarker feedback on intention to stop smoking and to evaluate possible underlying causal pathways.Design.This study is a pilot for a randomized controlled trial. Outcome measures were assessed immediately after the intervention and at 4 weeks follow‐up.Method.Twenty‐three smokers attending a cardiovascular outpatient clinic in London were randomly allocated to one of two groups: to either receive a print‐out of an ultrasound image of their carotid artery showing atherosclerotic plaque alongside an image of a disease‐free artery, or to receive routine verbal feedback.Results.The intervention significantly increased perceptions of susceptibility to smoking‐related diseases (Cohen'sh= 0.99) and led to increases both in engagement in smoking cessation behaviours (Cohen'sh= 0.79) and intentions to stop smoking (Cohn'sd= 0.44). The latter was moderated by self‐efficacy: the intervention increased intention to stop smoking only in people with higher levels of self‐efficacy with regard to stopping smoking.Conclusion.This study provides preliminary support for the potential effectiveness of personalized biomarker feedback to increase intentions to stop smoking. It also highlights the need to target and increase self‐efficacy in smoking cessatio

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1348/135910706X109684

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2007

数据来源: WILEY