Biomedical subjects

P Sedlmeier

Publications and source records attributed to P Sedlmeier.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Teaching Bayesian reasoning in less than two hours.

The authors present and test a new method of teaching Bayesian reasoning, something about which previous teaching studies reported little success. Based on G. Gigerenzer and U. Hoffrage's (1995) ecological framework, the authors wrote a computerized tutorial program to train people to construct frequency representations (representation training) rather than to insert probabilities into Bayes's rule (rule training). Bayesian computations are simpler to perform with natural frequencies than with probabilities, and there are evolutionary reasons for assuming that cognitive algorithms have been developed to deal with natural frequencies. In 2 studies, the authors compared representation training with rule training; the criteria were an immediate learning effect, transfer to new problems, and long-term temporal stability. Rule training was as good in transfer as representation training, but representation training had a higher immediate learning effect and greater temporal stability.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1996

["Pyromania" and arson. A psychiatric and criminologic data analysis].

We analyzed psychiatric and criminological data from 103 arsonists. The following criticisms of the definition of pyromania according to DSM-III-R and IDC-10 seem appropriate. First, the categoric exclusion of aggressive motives does not seem very promising, since approximately one fourth of arsonists whose firesetting is based on motives quoted in DSM-III-R may also have an aggressive motive. Second, ICD-10 gives being drunk and alcoholism as a criterion for the exclusion of pyromania. This seems untenable, since the behavior classed as pyromania is largely a product of alcohol misuse. Repeated firesetting, resulting from being fascinated by fire etc., may be less a disturbance of impulse control but rather the manifestation of a psychoinfantilism, which, supported by alcohol abuse, extends into older age. The mean age of such arsonists is slightly above 20 years. The tendency for relapses after imprisonment seems to be low; this tendency probably decreases spontaneously in older age. The mean age of arsonists with aggressive motives is a little below 30 years, those setting fire with suicidal motives have a mean age of 35, deluded arsonists have a mean age of 40 years. Concrete sexual motives are relatively rare. Approximately 50% of arsonists have a purely aggressive motive. Retaliation is a rare cause, however, since most of them do not even know the victims. One third of these persons set the fire in their own homes. Most arsonists show a personality disorder, with insecurity and narcissism predominating. Data on firesetting are to be treated with caution, since two thirds of all cases are newer resolved; one fourth of cases concern minors, and in Central Europe arsonists with rational motives are hardly ever referred to psychiatrists.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Firesetting in attempted suicide].

In the course of 25 years we examined 103 arsonists psychiatrically. In 10 of these cases the firesetting was accompanied by a suicidal attempt, or was inspired by a suicidal motive. These arsonists differ from arsonists with other motives: typically suicidal arsonists are older, have a higher share of women, higher values of psychosocial burden, and different psychiatric diagnoses. Moreover, the fire ist set mainly in the own flat, revenge is seen much more frequently as an accompanying motive, and, typically, suicidally motivated arsonists do set only one single fire. Out of our 10 arsonists, 5 originally had intended to die in the flames but then ran away exasperated or were saved; this combination is termed "self-immolation" in older papers. We suggest the term "suicide in combination with firesetting" for cases, where, after having set a fire, the arsonist tries to commit suicide at a different place and with other means than fire. In 7 cases we found the motive of extended suicide, with taking along the own property; in 2 cases, along with the suicide, also intimates were intended to put to dead. One female arsonist was saved out of the fire and then, after being discharged from the hospital, tried to kill her unfaithful friend. About one half of the suicidally motivated firesetters was alcoholized at the time of their firesetting while 70% of the arsonists with other motives were alcoholized, 4 of the suicidal arsonists were alcoholics altogether, similar to the whole group of arsonists, from which, approximately, one half are alcoholics.

Adult↗