M. Cecchini

Sometimes, adults with educational roles, for example, teachers or parents, in particular paternalise children from certain groups with the motive of protecting them from unjustified social sanctions. This paper analyses a case where a teacher seeks to prevent girls, not boys, from sharing intimate pictures of themselves. We argue that the case represents an example of the broader phenomenon of paternalistic discrimination. Based on an analysis of the case, we identify three ways in which paternalistic discrimination protecting people (including children) against negative and unjustified social sanctions can be wrong. Specifically, we argue that the teacher's action involves (i) disrespectful assignment of burden of responsibility, (ii) differential paternalistic disrespect and (iii) disrespectful generalisations. While paternalism towards children is often considered to be uncontroversial, paternalistic discrimination protecting children against unjustified social sanctions is not. At least, we submit that the three wrong‐making features should be included in the evaluation of specific acts of this kind.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between attachment dimensions and neural correlates in response to the Rorschach inkblots. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers were recruited for the electroencephalographic registration during a visual presentation of the Rorschach inkblots and polygonal shapes. The Attachment Style Questionnaire was administered to participants. Correlations between the ASQ scores and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography intensities were performed. The Rorschach inkblots elicited several projective responses greater than the polygonal shapes. Only during the Rorschach inkblots presentation, discomfort with closeness and relationships as secondary subscales were negatively correlated with the activation of right hippocampus, parahippocampus, amygdala, and insula; need for approval subscale was negatively correlated with the activation of orbital and prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus. Moreover, the correlations between attachment dimensions and neural activation during the Rorschach inkblots were significantly higher compared to the same correlations in response to polygonal shapes. These findings suggest that attachment style can modulate brain activation during the projective activity of the Rorschach inkblots.