THE NUZZO LETTER IN THE NEWS
Advances in Physiology Education
Abstract: Today, the historical representation of women as participants in exercise science research is frequently discussed. Often omitted from these discussions is women's participation in early research in fields that are historically linked to exercise science such as physical education and physical therapy. Much interest in women's health was expressed in papers published in these other fields, thus omission of this content from contemporary discussions about women's research representation gives an impression that early researchers, many of whom were female physical educators and therapists, were disinterested in women's health, including the menstrual cycle. To address this impression and expand historical knowledge, I created two bibliometric lists of relevant historical content published in physical exercise, education, and rehabilitation (PEER) journals before 1980. The first list is comprised of 95 papers that included 306 photographs of girls and women participating in PEER research between 1907 and 1979. These papers were discovered via searches of personal files and the complete digital archives of Journal of Applied Physiology (1948-1979), Medicine and Science in Sports (1969-1979), and Research Quarterly (1930-1979). Photographs often showed girls and women being assessed on muscle strength, motor skill learning, body composition, and posture. The second list is comprised of 77 papers (1876-1979) that included data or commentary on the menstrual cycle or menstrual symptoms (e.g., dysmenorrhea) within PEER contexts. Brief descriptions of the papers and photographs are presented. Educators and researchers can use these bibliometric lists to enrich future lectures and writings regarding the history of women's early participation in PEER research.
(*See my recent essay/podcast on this paper here.)
ARTICLES AND ESSAYS
Presidential Message on National Men’s Health Week, 2025
The White House
Men Are Good
The Dispatch
'Just as Deadly': Inside the mind of a female serial killer
Penn State University News
New book explores psychology of female serial killers
Billions Are Being Wasted on Junk-Science Domestic Violence Programs
Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance (DAVIA)
National Association of Scholars
Trial set to begin over UCLA prof suspended after refusing lenient grading for black students
The College Fix
Binghamton archaeologist calls for ‘explicitly queer science’
The College Fix
UPenn Bans Men from Women’s Sports
Reality’s Last Stand
The school has reinstated the records of female swimmers who lost their titles to a male competitor.
How many PhDs does the world need? Doctoral graduates vastly outnumber jobs in academia
Nature
PhD programmes need to better prepare students for careers outside universities, researchers warn.
National Institutes of Health
Psychiatric Symptoms Across the Menstrual Cycle in Adult Women: A Comprehensive Review
Harvard Review of Psychiatry
Abstract: A growing body of research demonstrates menstrual cycle-dependent fluctuations in psychiatric symptoms; these fluctuations can therefore be considered as prevalent phenomena. Possible mechanisms underlying these fluctuations posit behavioral, psychological, and neuroendocrine influences. Recent reviews document cyclic exacerbation of symptoms and explore these mechanisms in the context of specific and often single disorders. The question remains, however, as to whether there are general and overlapping effects of the menstrual cycle on women's mental health. To address this gap, we synthesized the literature examining the exacerbation of a variety of psychiatric symptoms across the menstrual cycle in adult women. Results show that the premenstrual and menstrual phases are most consistently implicated in transdiagnostic symptom exacerbation. Specifically, strong evidence indicates increases in psychosis, mania, depression, suicide/suicide attempts, and alcohol use during these phases. Anxiety, stress, and binge eating appear to be elevated more generally throughout the luteal phase. The subjective effects of smoking and cocaine use are reduced during the luteal phase, but fewer data are available for other substances. Less consistent patterns are demonstrated for panic disorder, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder, and it is difficult to draw conclusions for symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and trichotillomania because of the limited data. Future research should focus on developing standardized approaches to identifying menstrual cycle phases and adapting pharmacological and behavioral interventions for managing fluctuations in psychiatric symptoms across the menstrual cycle.
HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
True Confessions?: Alumni's Retrospective Reports on Undergraduate Cheating Behaviors
Ethics & Behavior (2008)
Abstract: College cheating is prevalent, with rates ranging widely from 9 to 95% (CitationWhitley, 1998). Research has been exclusively conducted with enrolled college students. This study examined the prevalence of cheating in a sample of college alumni, who risk less in disclosing academic dishonesty than current students. A total of 273 alumni reported on their prevalence and perceived severity of 19 cheating behaviors. The vast majority of participants (81.7%) report having engaged in some form of cheating during their undergraduate career. The most common forms of cheating were “copying from another student's assignment” and “allowing others to copy from your assignment.” More students reported cheating in classes for their major than other classes. Males and females cheated at the same rates in classes for their major, and males reported higher rates of cheating than females in nonmajor classes. Respondents reported that their top reasons for cheating were “lack of time” and “to help a friend.”
RUBBISH BIN
Men, Where Have You Gone? Please Come Back
New York Times
So many men have retreated from intimacy, hiding behind firewalls, filters and curated personas, dabbling and scrolling. We miss you.
(*My brief comment on this article is available on X here.)
Decolonising dental educational research: reflections from a white researcher
Advances in Health Sciences Education: Theory and Practice
Abstract: While there is an emerging scholarship on decolonising dentistry, the debate about reflexivity, positionality and white privilege in dental educational research and practice is still at a developmental stage. This article aims to contribute to this nascent debate by contemplating the question- is it appropriate, or possible, for a white researcher to undertake decolonisation work in dental education? If so, what would it entail or 'look' like? To answer this important question, the author offers a reflective account of their ethical and epistemological journey with this very question. This journey begins with how I, a white researcher, first became aware of the everyday racism experienced by my racially and ethnically minoritized students, the whiteness of dental educational spaces and how my white privilege and position as a dental educator consciously and unconsciously implicated me in these processes of exclusion and discrimination. While this revelation led to a personal commitment to do better in my practice, both as an educator and a researcher, I continue to struggle with my white ignorance and white fragility as I strive to make my work more inclusive. To illustrate this, I discuss an ethnodrama project on everyday racism that I lead on and how, despite choosing a more democratic research method, hegemonic whiteness continued to make its presence felt through my 'going it alone' method of work. This reflective account reaffirms that regular and routine self-reflection is key to ensuring that racialised inappropriate and damaging assumptions, frameworks of thinking, and ways of working are checked for. However, my praxis won't evolve through critical introspection alone. I need to be open to making mistakes, educating myself about racism and anti-racist practice, asking for help and guidance from my minoritized colleagues and more importantly, committing to working with people from minoritized communities rather than on them.
(*My brief comment on this article is available on X here.)
Enhancing rigor and justice in genetic counseling research with reflexivity and positionality
Journal of Genetic Counseling
Abstract: In the rapidly evolving landscape of genetic counseling research, acknowledging the dynamic interplay between the researchers and the research is critical. Positionality, which encompasses how researchers' social, cultural, and professional identities intersect with their work, along with reflexive practices that promote self-awareness, emerge as essential tools in promoting transparency, rigor, and ethical integrity in research. In this article, we explore the importance of both positionality and reflexivity in genetic counseling research. By highlighting the impact of researchers' perspectives on study design, data interpretation, and knowledge translation, we seek to underscore how positionality and reflexivity can be used to confront biases and power imbalances in the research process. Our discussion extends to both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, showcasing the role of reflexive and positionality statements in enhancing research credibility, inclusivity, and justice. We have provided actionable guidance and reflective questions for constructing robust positionality statements and documenting reflexivity across research phases. Reflexive research practices may advance justice-oriented evidence that informs clinical practices, research, and the genetic counseling profession more broadly. At the same time, we must balance the need to disclose privilege and biases with the imperative to protect marginalized individuals from potential exploitation and harm, ensuring these disclosures do not reinforce existing power imbalances nor compromise safety and autonomy. By advancing reflexivity and positionality, this article advocates for a justice-centered approach to genetic counseling research, ensuring a more representative and ethically responsible body of knowledge.
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Some great stuff Jim. Thanks. Loved your tweet on the NYTimes article. lol Thanks too for the plug.
Can I add this? https://open.substack.com/pub/putourchildrenfirst/p/with-one-headline-the-media-casually?