Volume 2 Issue 2
Authors: Michael A. Persinger; Mark W. G. Collins
Abstract: Weak physiologically patterned magnetic fields applied through the cerebrum have been associated with opiate-like effects and mystical experiences including sensed presences and out-of-body experiences. While sitting in a comfortable chair housed in an acoustic chamber volunteers were exposed to Murphy’s Shiva Hat from which cerebrally rotating, angularly decelerating magnetic fields (about 1 microTesla) were generated from arrays of 64 solenoids for 20 min. The sham-field exposed group wore the same hat and sat in the same place for the same duration of time. Subjects exposed to the burst-firing pattern generated fields with the changing angular velocity reported more out of body and sensed presence experiences than did the sham field group. Unlike the sham field group who displayed relative increases in delta power over both temporal lobes during the sessions, those exposed to the field exhibited diminished power that was comparable to their original aroused state. These results suggest that the effects of weak, complex magnetic fields on cortical electroencephalographic activity are consistent with patterns of cortical activation during altered states.
Keywords: Shiva Magnetic Fields; QEEG; Mystical Experiences; Delta-Theta Power
Authors: Leonard A. Jason; Richard Contreras
Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent chronic blood-borne infection in the United States and the leading cause of chronic liver disease. HCV is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. New infections remain common among IDUs, prisoners, and others likely to be exposed to infected blood. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to gain insight into the experiences of HCV-infected residents, an approach that has proved informative in helping individuals manage similar challenging chronic illnesses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Oxford House female residents living with HCV. The semi-structure qualitative interview consisted of 18 questions which were designed to focus on three broad areas: experiences of contracting and being diagnosed with HCV, ways in which HCV affected their lives, and experiences living in an Oxford House. Overall, participants were not surprised at their diagnosis, but it did impact their mood. Participants had difficulty with social functioning, experienced physical and psychological symptoms, and received a substantial amount of social support from family and Oxford House residents.
Keywords: HCV; Injection Drug Use; Women; Addiction; Recovery Homes
Authors: Ksenia I. Ustinova; Jan Perkins; Polina O. Koptelova
Abstract: While walking humans perceive the environment as motionless despite the shift of the visual image on the retina. This perception of constancy is achieved through an interaction between gait pattern and the speed of optic flow. Several studies report an effect of artificially changing optic flow on gait parameters in younger individuals. Given the known decline in gait speed and slowing of postural reactions as people age, this effect may be different in older individuals. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing the latency of step initiation, peak velocity, step length, and movement time using a simulated virtual escalator moving at different speeds. The escalator was presented to 11 healthy older (77.1±8.9)and 11 healthy younger (21.9±1.6) participants via a Head Mounted Display (HMD). Participants took a single step forwards as soon as they detected escalator motion at one of six speeds ranging from 0.5 to 3 m/s, presented in random order. Participants also initiated a step in the physical world in response to a voiced command at their self-selected speed. All movements were recorded with Kinect sensing device for the Xbox 360. Results showed that older participants had significantly longer latency than younger across all speed conditions (p< 0.05). Increasing the escalator speed resulted in significantly decreased latency in both older (p<0.05) and younger participants (p<0.05).Peak velocity also increased significantly as speed increased (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between older and younger individuals in any parameters, except latency. The older participants responded to increased escalator speed in a manner similar to younger participants. This finding supports the feasibility of manipulating optic flow for facilitation of step initiation in older individuals.
Keywords: Virtual Reality; Gait; Aging; Rehabilitation
Authors: Bourdeaux Josette; Kwiatkowski Fabrice
Abstract: Since Freud, it has become quite usual to utilize ancient Greek myths to name or to illustrate modern psychological patterns. This attitude seemed justified both by Sigmund Freud with what he called “archaic remnants” and by Gustav Jung with his “collective unconscious”, the substrate of “archetypes”. Jung considered these latter as the “innate universal psychic dispositions”. But a different reading of the myths enables to reveal a completely new meaning which appears very relevant in the lighting of actual scientific knowledge. The means to develop this reading is based on the literal translation of proper names of heroes and places. For instance, this approach can successfully be used for one of the most popularized myths: Oedipus. Literally, it narrates the strange story of Oedipus (“Swollen Foot”), after his father Laius, “owner of a herd”, had abandoned him in “a place devoted to feeding” (mount Cithaeron), which is a close phonetic anagram in Greek of uterus (hystera), in brief: a matrix. After Oedipus had grown up, he accidentally met his father in a narrow gorge between Delphi and a place qualified as “secret, furry” (Daulis). Oedipus’ father and his servant, a “serial killer” (Polyphontes) tried to break through and the chariot rolled over our heroe’s foot. Oedipus, angry, refused to let them pass and a fight ensued: he killed the servant, and his father died as his chariot overturned on him. Later, Oedipus arrived at a pass on mount Phycion (i.e. a pass related to female nature: the “cervix”) where he had to confront something that could strangle him (Sphinx = sphincter). She, the Sphynge, had a woman’s face, a lion’s body but with breasts and a snake tail. She had already devoured the “blood” of Jocasta (Heamon, Jocasta’s nephew’s name, means bleeding). As Oedipus answered her enigma, she jumped from the top of the mountain and died below. Narrated as so, this story relates the conception, indicated by the cessation of menses, probably intercourse during pregnancy and finally birth when the placenta and ombilical cord (the snake tail) become useless. If this reading is relevant, it suggests that the ancient Greeks were aware of the psychological impact of foetal life before birth on the development of the human psyche and destiny. This possibility is in accordance with Stanislas Grof’s approach and other recent epidemiological and/or biological research on the impact of prenatal stress on the embryo’s development and future behaviour. To our mind, several other myths carry similar insights into the psychology of the ancient Greeks. According to Robert Graves, it can be thought that to explore the human psyche, the ancient Greeks used hallucinogenic plants and in particular mushrooms just as Stanislas Grof did but using LSD at the beginning of his investigations.
Keywords: Oedipus; Mythology; Prenatal Life; Birth Trauma; Psychotropic
Authors: Alhadi Chafi; Gaëlle Podevin; Loris Schiaratura; Stéphane Rusinek
Abstract: Emotional congruence and Embodiment have been well documented in literature (Barsalou, 2008, 2009; Casasanto & Dijkstra, 2010). Certain dimensions of stimuli such as Horizontality seem linked to the reading direction of an individual (Phaf & Rotteveel, 2009), while others seem rather bound to biologically programmed factors such as life detectors in the environment (Westhoff & Troje, 2006). Authors of the present paper aimed to contribute theoretically to this debate by presenting a brief review of the literature and reflecting upon previous findings whereas implementing the question of Motion, for which they believe certain patterns could be embodied.
Keywords: Emotional Congruence; Embodiment; Verticality; Horizontality; Motion
Authors: Pan Xue; Wu Yanjun; Zhang Denghao
Abstract: The mediating effect of coping styles in relationship between personality traits and mental health is examined. A total of 371 college students completed SCL-90, the Four-Item Subjective Happiness Scale, the Delighted-Terrible Faces Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and QZPS-SF. The structural equation model results indicate the mediating effect of coping strategies is significant for Chinese participates.
Keywords: Coping Style; Chinese Personality Scale (QZPS); Mental Health; Personality