The question what specific functions the production of emotional tears fulfills has received only limited attention of behavioral scientists. We report the results of two studies on the social impact of emotional tears. In Study 1 (96 Dutch females), perceived helplessness and felt connectedness predicted the willingness to help a person depicted as crying tearfully, while perceived friendlines...

It has been argued that power activates a general tendency to approach whereas powerlessness activates a tendency to inhibit. The assumption is that elevated power involves reward-rich environments, freedom and, as a consequence, triggers an approach-related motivational orientation and attention to rewards. In contrast, reduced power is associated with increased threat, punishment and social c...

Informed by primary interviews and observational research conducted by the authors with women prisoners in Northern Ireland, this article focuses on prison as an institutional manifestation of women's powerlessness and vulnerability, particularly those enduring mental ill-health. It contextualises their experiences within continua of violence and 'unsafety'. It also considers official responses...

Contested since 1990, the Arun-3 dam in Nepal has so far generated more heat than hydropower involving a host of complex negotiations between its advocates and critics on the local, national and transnational levels. Cancelled after a complaint before the World Bank Inspection Panel in 1995, work is soon to be resumed. An Indian public sector company interested in exporting the electricity to I...

In a test for learned helplessness, hippocampectomized rats, cortical controls and unoperated controls were given shock-escape training after being subjected to a series of noncontingent shocks. During these preshock treat!llents, the ~ame amount of gross body activity was elicited in all three groups. Compared to rats that dId not receIve the preshock treatments, all the preshocked animals per...

BACKGROUND When confronted with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), general practitioners (GPs) need to deal with diverse complaints. This may introduce a sense of powerlessness and frustration in the GP, which could possibly undermine the doctor-patient relationship. AIM Our aim was to list the perspectives of patients with CFS regarding the medical encounter. METHOD This was a questionnaire s...

This article provides a review of three of the most important field studies to have examined the non-auditory effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on children's cognition and health. The design of each of the studies is outlined, relevant methodological issues are highlighted and the findings from the studies are reported. Effects are reported on annoyance and quality of life, motivation ...

This article examines the reaction by Newcastle United supporters to the resignation of Kevin Keegan as Newcastle United manager in September 2008. Unhappy at the ownership and management structure of the club following Keegan’s departure, a series of supporter-led meetings took place that eventually led to the creation of Newcastle United Supporters’ Club and Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust...

The few existing hypotheses for the function of the human hymen are weak. These are briefly reviewed, and a new hypothesis is proposed. We suggest that the appearance of the juvenile human hymen is based on 'premature' birth, following which infant helplessness and a subsequent advantage for vaginal protection from external sources of infection allowed natural selection to increase its persiste...

Stress-related misuse of alcohol or drugs appears to be impulsive and may reflect conflict, learned helplessness or an attempt to reduce cognitive dissonance.