Confirmation Bias!

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Confirmation Bias! Kritisk tenkning og utredningsmetodikk ved sakkyndige/vitenskapelige rapporter av Rune Fardal 01.01.2008 Sist oppdatert 06.04.2020 Side 2 av 356 INNHOLD: Innledning ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Fra Helsepersonelloven: ...................................................................................................................... 14 Forord .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Jussprofessor ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Hvorfor sakkyndige psykologer? ...................................................................................................... 16 Veiledende mal for oppbygging av den sakkyndige rapporten ................................... 17 Forside ....................................................................................................................................................... 18 Innholdsfortegnelse .............................................................................................................................. 18 1 Innledning ............................................................................................................................................. 19 1.1 Gjengivelse av mandatet med eventuelle tillegg .................................................................. 19 2 Opplysninger om utredningens tilretteleggelse og forløp ................................................... 19 2.1 Oversikt over tidsbruk og arbeidsopplegg ............................................................................. 19 2.2 Metoder .............................................................................................................................................. 19 2.3 Oversikt over dokumenter .......................................................................................................... 19 2.4 Redegjørelse for hvordan de involverte er informert. ....................................................... 19 3 Sakens bakgrunn ................................................................................................................................ 20 4. Aktuell situasjon ................................................................................................................................ 20 5 Redegjørelse for samtaler, observasjoner og undersøkelser av barn og foreldre, samt informasjon fra komparenter ............................................................................................................ 20 5.1 Utredning av barnet ....................................................................................................................... 20 5.2 Utredning av foreldre .................................................................................................................... 20 5.3 Utredning av samspill/relasjon/tilknytning mellom barn og foreldre ........................ 20 6 Vurdering .............................................................................................................................................. 21 7 Anbefaling ............................................................................................................................................. 22 Generelle retningslinjer for sakkyndig arbeid i domstolene ....................................... 22 10 viktige punkter for avsløring av forskning. ................................................................. 28 Hovedpunkter for en rapport .................................................................................................. 31 Evidensbasert kunskap .............................................................................................................. 32 Forskjelen på en terapeut og en sakkyndig ........................................................................ 33 Metode ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Viktige kriterier for Metode: .............................................................................................................. 35 Viktige punkter beskrevet av psykolog Joar Tranøy: ............................................................... 35 Kildekritikk og kildekontroll ............................................................................................................. 37 “Benektende adferd” ............................................................................................................................. 39 “Personlighetsforstyrrelse”, javel, men… ...................................................................................... 40 Språklig forskjellsbehandling. ........................................................................................................... 40 Skille mellom observasjon, beskrivelser og tolkning ................................................................ 44 Forskjellsbehandling ............................................................................................................................ 46 Barne sakkyndig kommisjon ............................................................................................................. 46 Kvalitativ metode ................................................................................................................................... 47 Sakkyndige betraktninger, Torgeir Huseby ....................................................................... 51 Påvirkes hukommelse av den observerte og den som observerer? ........................... 53 Side 3 av 356 Den sakkyndiges rolle. ............................................................................................................... 54 Justismord i barnevernet .......................................................................................................... 54 12 regler for en ryddig debatt: ................................................................................................ 56 Sjekkliste sakkyndig beskrivelse: .......................................................................................... 58 Fallgruver for sakkyndge .......................................................................................................... 60 Falske negative – Falske positive? .......................................................................................... 61 Aktuarisk bedømmelse .............................................................................................................. 62 Ansvar .............................................................................................................................................. 63 Argumentum ad hominem – personargumentet ............................................................... 65 Attest ................................................................................................................................................ 70 Attraktiv stereotype feilen ....................................................................................................... 76 Barnet .............................................................................................................................................. 77 Autoritet .......................................................................................................................................... 79 Barnum/Forer effekt .................................................................................................................. 80 Base rate feilslutning .................................................................................................................. 84 Bedre enn gjennomsnitt - effekten ........................................................................................ 85 Bevisbyrden ................................................................................................................................... 86 Bevisfravær .................................................................................................................................... 87 Bias – Forutintatthet ................................................................................................................... 88 Anthropic bias ......................................................................................................................................... 89 Assimilation bias .................................................................................................................................... 94 Blind spot bias ......................................................................................................................................... 95 Confirmation Bias - Det som taler imot utelates ....................................................................... 96 Consistency bias ..................................................................................................................................... 98 Consensus bias ........................................................................................................................................ 99 Belif bias – forutinntatte meninger ............................................................................................... 101 Disconfirmation bias .........................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Informal Fallacies 2
    Ashford University - Ed Tech | Informal_Fallacies_2 JUSTIN Hi, everybody. This is going to be a continuation of the informal logical fallacy HARRISON: discussion. The next one we're going to be talking about is the relativist fallacy. This is a common one that you see. Even in intellectual circles, you see really smart people falling into this fallacy. Well, I guess you can be consistent, but it's very hard to be consistent. The relativist fallacy occurs when you say that, for example, different cultures have different beliefs so what's right in one culture or what's right for one group is right and good. And then something that's opposite in another group is considered right and good. And those two things are right and good for both cultures or groups or whatever it might be. Well, there are different types of relativism, but cultural relativism would say things like, well, we can't judge other cultures because their actions are right based on their own definitions of what is right. And our definitions of what is right and wrong are different. Therefore, what they believe is right is right and what we believe is right is right. And hopefully you can see the problem with this is that-- let's say that we're confronting a culture that subjugates women. And in that culture, it is right or morally acceptable to gang rape a woman, which is actually-- this happens in the world-- when she's been accused of some crime-- often a crime that she didn't commit, but she's just been accused of it.
    [Show full text]
  • Summer 2002 PROFILES in FAITH in THIS ISSUE 1 Profiles in Faith: John Calvin (1509–1564) John Calvin by Art Lindsley by Dr
    KKNOWINGNOWING A Teaching Quarterly for Discipleship of Heart and Mind C.S. LEWIS INSTITUTE OINGOING &D&D Summer 2002 PROFILES IN FAITH IN THIS ISSUE 1 Profiles in Faith: John Calvin (1509–1564) John Calvin by Art Lindsley by Dr. Art Lindsley Scholar-in-Residence 3 C.S. Lewis Feature Article: C.S. Lewis on Freud and Marx by Art Lindsley 6 A Conversation with: Ravi Zacharias 8 Review & Reflect: Two Giants and the he mere mention of John Calvin’s maintains, “Calvin is the man who, next to St. Giant Question: a name (born July 10, 1509 in Noyon, Paul, has done the most good to mankind.” review of Dr. France – died May 27, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, En- Armand Nicholi’s T book The Ques- 1564 in Geneva, Switzerland) glish preacher, asserts, “The T tion of God produces strong reactions both longer I live the clearer does it ap- by James Beavers pro and con. Erich Fromm, 20th “Taking into pear that John Calvin’s system is century German-born American the nearest to perfection.” 12 Special Feature psychoanalyst and social phi- account all his Basil Hall, Cambridge profes- Article: losopher, says that Calvin “be- sor, once wrote an essay, “The Conversational longed to the ranks of the failings, he Calvin Legend,” in which he ar- Apologetics greatest haters in history.” The gues that formerly those who by Michael must be Ramsden Oxford Dictionary of the Christian depreciated Calvin had at least Church maintains that Calvin reckoned as one read his works, whereas now 24 Upcoming Events was “cruel” and the “unopposed the word “Calvin” or “Calvin- dictator of Geneva.” On the other of the greatest ism” is used as a word with hand, Theodore Beza, Calvin’s negative connotations but with successor, says of Calvin, “I have and best of men little or no content.
    [Show full text]
  • Ilidigital Master Anton 2.Indd
    services are developed to be used by humans. Thus, understanding humans understanding Thus, humans. by used be to developed are services obvious than others but certainly not less complex. Most products bioengineering, and as shown in this magazine. Psychology mightbusiness world. beBe it more the comparison to relationships, game elements, or There are many non-business flieds which can betransfered to the COGNTIVE COGNTIVE is key to a succesfully develop a product orservice. is keytoasuccesfullydevelopproduct BIASES by ANTON KOGER The Power of Power The //PsychologistatILI.DIGITAL WE EDIT AND REINFORCE SOME WE DISCARD SPECIFICS TO WE REDUCE EVENTS AND LISTS WE STORE MEMORY DIFFERENTLY BASED WE NOTICE THINGS ALREADY PRIMED BIZARRE, FUNNY, OR VISUALLY WE NOTICE WHEN WE ARE DRAWN TO DETAILS THAT WE NOTICE FLAWS IN OTHERS WE FAVOR SIMPLE-LOOKING OPTIONS MEMORIES AFTER THE FACT FORM GENERALITIES TO THEIR KEY ELEMENTS ON HOW THEY WERE EXPERIENCED IN MEMORY OR REPEATED OFTEN STRIKING THINGS STICK OUT MORE SOMETHING HAS CHANGED CONFIRM OUR OWN EXISTING BELIEFS MORE EASILY THAN IN OURSELVES AND COMPLETE INFORMATION way we see situations but also the way we situationsbutalsotheway wesee way the biasesnotonlychange Furthermore, overload. cognitive avoid attention, ore situations, guide help todesign massively can This in. take people information of kind explainhowandwhat ofperception egory First,biasesinthecat andappraisal. ory, self,mem perception, into fourcategories: roughly bedivided Cognitive biasescan within thesesituations. forusers interaction andeasy in anatural situationswhichresults sible toimprove itpos and adaptingtothesebiasesmakes ingiven situations.Reacting ways certain act sively helpstounderstandwhypeople mas into consideration biases ing cognitive Tak humanbehavior. topredict likely less or andmore relevant illusionsare cognitive In each situation different every havior day.
    [Show full text]
  • Infographic I.10
    The Digital Health Revolution: Leaving No One Behind The global AI in healthcare market is growing fast, with an expected increase from $4.9 billion in 2020 to $45.2 billion by 2026. There are new solutions introduced every day that address all areas: from clinical care and diagnosis, to remote patient monitoring to EHR support, and beyond. But, AI is still relatively new to the industry, and it can be difficult to determine which solutions can actually make a difference in care delivery and business operations. 59 Jan 2021 % of Americans believe returning Jan-June 2019 to pre-coronavirus life poses a risk to health and well being. 11 41 % % ...expect it will take at least 6 The pandemic has greatly increased the 65 months before things get number of US adults reporting depression % back to normal (updated April and/or anxiety.5 2021).4 Up to of consumers now interested in telehealth going forward. $250B 76 57% of providers view telehealth more of current US healthcare spend % favorably than they did before COVID-19.7 could potentially be virtualized.6 The dramatic increase in of Medicare primary care visits the conducted through 90% $3.5T telehealth has shown longevity, with rates in annual U.S. health expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. since April 2020 0.1 43.5 leveling off % % Most of these can be prevented by simple around 30%.8 lifestyle changes and regular health screenings9 Feb. 2020 Apr. 2020 OCCAM’S RAZOR • CONJUNCTION FALLACY • DELMORE EFFECT • LAW OF TRIVIALITY • COGNITIVE FLUENCY • BELIEF BIAS • INFORMATION BIAS Digital health ecosystems are transforming• AMBIGUITY BIAS • STATUS medicineQUO BIAS • SOCIAL COMPARISONfrom BIASa rea• DECOYctive EFFECT • REACTANCEdiscipline, • REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY • SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION • BACKFIRE EFFECT • ENDOWMENT EFFECT • PROCESSING DIFFICULTY EFFECT • PSEUDOCERTAINTY EFFECT • DISPOSITION becoming precise, preventive,EFFECT • ZERO-RISK personalized, BIAS • UNIT BIAS • IKEA EFFECT and • LOSS AVERSION participatory.
    [Show full text]
  • John Collins, President, Forensic Foundations Group
    On Bias in Forensic Science National Commission on Forensic Science – May 12, 2014 56-year-old Vatsala Thakkar was a doctor in India but took a job as a convenience store cashier to help pay family expenses. She was stabbed to death outside her store trying to thwart a theft in November 2008. Bloody Footwear Impression Bloody Tire Impression What was the threat? 1. We failed to ask ourselves if this was a footwear impression. 2. The appearance of the impression combined with the investigator’s interpretation created prejudice. The accuracy of our analysis became threatened by our prejudice. Types of Cognitive Bias Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases | Accessed on April 14, 2014 Anchoring or focalism Hindsight bias Pseudocertainty effect Illusory superiority Levels-of-processing effect Attentional bias Hostile media effect Reactance Ingroup bias List-length effect Availability heuristic Hot-hand fallacy Reactive devaluation Just-world phenomenon Misinformation effect Availability cascade Hyperbolic discounting Recency illusion Moral luck Modality effect Backfire effect Identifiable victim effect Restraint bias Naive cynicism Mood-congruent memory bias Bandwagon effect Illusion of control Rhyme as reason effect Naïve realism Next-in-line effect Base rate fallacy or base rate neglect Illusion of validity Risk compensation / Peltzman effect Outgroup homogeneity bias Part-list cueing effect Belief bias Illusory correlation Selective perception Projection bias Peak-end rule Bias blind spot Impact bias Semmelweis
    [Show full text]
  • Prestructuring Multilayer Perceptrons Based on Information-Theoretic
    Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 1-1-2011 Prestructuring Multilayer Perceptrons based on Information-Theoretic Modeling of a Partido-Alto- based Grammar for Afro-Brazilian Music: Enhanced Generalization and Principles of Parsimony, including an Investigation of Statistical Paradigms Mehmet Vurkaç Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Vurkaç, Mehmet, "Prestructuring Multilayer Perceptrons based on Information-Theoretic Modeling of a Partido-Alto-based Grammar for Afro-Brazilian Music: Enhanced Generalization and Principles of Parsimony, including an Investigation of Statistical Paradigms" (2011). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 384. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.384 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Prestructuring Multilayer Perceptrons based on Information-Theoretic Modeling of a Partido-Alto -based Grammar for Afro-Brazilian Music: Enhanced Generalization and Principles of Parsimony, including an Investigation of Statistical Paradigms by Mehmet Vurkaç A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering Dissertation Committee: George G. Lendaris, Chair Douglas V. Hall Dan Hammerstrom Marek Perkowski Brad Hansen Portland State University ©2011 ABSTRACT The present study shows that prestructuring based on domain knowledge leads to statistically significant generalization-performance improvement in artificial neural networks (NNs) of the multilayer perceptron (MLP) type, specifically in the case of a noisy real-world problem with numerous interacting variables.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
    CO =CD o If) 5 LD i^/x\.;.:.-:..:x-^.-' _.. o- -<gf ,. -CT) o ==0o ^Hl; "'-v>^''f,J>i,J^t''^k';,*--:\: t C^ > :CD ^^ ::'::' '-' ' CO ";';fw;; '>^r,,- :'^r- VI' vr >• ;,v:.-.:;:;:V^v,.-.'/<,,j-V.'; ;;' :<3t'^ TV * Presented to the LIBRARY of the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO hy MOFFATT ST. ANDREW WOODSIDE 1970 ^r I Ube Morl^s Classics XL THE WORKS OF LAURENCE STERNE.—L THE UFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, Gentleman. ) TTbe MorlD's Classics Pott 8vo, leather, gilt, 2j. net. Buckram, paper label, is. 6d. net. Cloth, IS. net. (All volumes, with the exception of Works of Fiction, can be obtained bound in parchment, gilt back, side, top, and silk marker, in case, 2S. 6d. net each. 1. Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. 21. Poe's Tales of Mystery and Seco'ui Impression. Imagination. 2. Lamb's Essays of Ella. Third 22. White's History of Selbome. Impression. 23. De Qulncey's Opium Eater. Tennyson's 3. Poems. 1830-1858. 24. Bacon's Essays. Third Impression. 25. Hazlitt'a Wlnterslow. 4. Goldsmith's Vicar of Wake- 26. Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. field. Second Impression. 27. Macaulay's Lays of Ancient 5. Hazlltfs Table Talk. Second Rome. Impression. 23. Thackeray's Henry Esmond. 6. Emerson's Essays. Third Im- 29. Scott's Ivanhoe. pression. 30. Emerson's English Trails. 7. Keats' Poems. Second Impres- 31. George Eliot's Mill on the sion. Floss. 8. Dickens' Oliver Twist. 32. Selected English Essays. 9. The Ingoldsby Legends. Second Chosen and arranged by W. Impression. Peacock. Hume's Essays.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Reasoning in Constructing a Persuasive Argument
    The Role of Reasoning in Constructing a Persuasive Argument <http://www.orsinger.com/PDFFiles/constructing-a-persuasive-argument.pdf> [The pdf version of this document is web-enabled with linking endnotes] Richard R. Orsinger [email protected] http://www.orsinger.com McCurley, Orsinger, McCurley, Nelson & Downing, L.L.P. San Antonio Office: 1717 Tower Life Building San Antonio, Texas 78205 (210) 225-5567 http://www.orsinger.com and Dallas Office: 5950 Sherry Lane, Suite 800 Dallas, Texas 75225 (214) 273-2400 http://www.momnd.com State Bar of Texas 37th ANNUAL ADVANCED FAMILY LAW COURSE August 1-4, 2011 San Antonio CHAPTER 11 © 2011 Richard R. Orsinger All Rights Reserved The Role of Reasoning in Constructing a Persuasive Argument Chapter 11 Table of Contents I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSUASION.. 1 II. PERSUASION IN ARGUMENTATION.. 1 III. BACKGROUND.. 2 IV. USER’S GUIDE FOR THIS ARTICLE.. 2 V. ARISTOTLE’S THREE COMPONENTS OF A PERSUASIVE SPEECH.. 3 A. ETHOS.. 3 B. PATHOS.. 4 C. LOGOS.. 4 1. Syllogism.. 4 2. Implication.. 4 3. Enthymeme.. 4 (a) Advantages and Disadvantages of Commonplaces... 5 (b) Selection of Commonplaces.. 5 VI. ARGUMENT MODELS (OVERVIEW)... 5 A. LOGIC-BASED ARGUMENTS. 5 1. Deductive Logic.. 5 2. Inductive Logic.. 6 3. Reasoning by Analogy.. 7 B. DEFEASIBLE ARGUMENTS... 7 C. THE TOULMIN ARGUMENTATION MODEL... 7 D. FALLACIOUS ARGUMENTS.. 8 E. ARGUMENTATION SCHEMES.. 8 VII. LOGICAL REASONING (DETAILED ANALYSIS).. 8 A. DEDUCTIVE REASONING.. 8 1. The Categorical Syllogism... 8 a. Graphically Depicting the Simple Categorical Syllogism... 9 b. A Legal Dispute as a Simple Syllogism.. 9 c.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Embrace Your Cognitive Bias
    1 Embrace Your Cognitive Bias http://blog.beaufortes.com/2007/06/embrace-your-co.html Cognitive Biases are distortions in the way humans see things in comparison to the purely logical way that mathematics, economics, and yes even project management would have us look at things. The problem is not that we have them… most of them are wired deep into our brains following millions of years of evolution. The problem is that we don’t know about them, and consequently don’t take them into account when we have to make important decisions. (This area is so important that Daniel Kahneman won a Nobel Prize in 2002 for work tying non-rational decision making, and cognitive bias, to mainstream economics) People don’t behave rationally, they have emotions, they can be inspired, they have cognitive bias! Tying that into how we run projects (project leadership as a compliment to project management) can produce results you wouldn’t believe. You have to know about them to guard against them, or use them (but that’s another article)... So let’s get more specific. After the jump, let me show you a great list of cognitive biases. I’ll bet that there are at least a few that you haven’t heard of before! Decision making and behavioral biases Bandwagon effect — the tendency to do (or believe) things because many other people do (or believe) the same. Related to groupthink, herd behaviour, and manias. Bias blind spot — the tendency not to compensate for one’s own cognitive biases. Choice-supportive bias — the tendency to remember one’s choices as better than they actually were.
    [Show full text]
  • The Reality Creators
    The Reality Creators An Epic Fairytale About Life On Earth By Christopher Hall The Reality Creators COPYRIGHT © 2021 BY CHRISTOPHER HALL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ISBN: 978-1-7923-3330-9 (e-book) ISBN: 979-8-6183-2728-2 (paperback) Cover Design by Christopher Hall Goat photograph by Smuj Smujington Printed in the USA The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the address below: [email protected] Upon a great scene has descended people who've come running to help from the right and the left, and no matter how they view the event and from what angle, they all care to be of service. This book is for them. We are like water drops that make up a watershed, a connected flow from the first drop wetting the soil to the millions more that make up a puddle and flow down a ditch, into a creek, that flows to the river, and out into the ocean that is all of us. That little drop is spread out everywhere and is one with all the other drops. Together they float up into the sky, rain down upon the earth, support life, water trees, plants, and animals, and fill the seas in a never-ending cycle.
    [Show full text]
  • Logical Fallacies: a Beginner’S Guide Which Logical Fallacy Would Be Your Favorite Pick from the List Below?
    Logical Fallacies: A Beginner’s Guide Which logical fallacy would be your favorite pick from the list below? Ad Hominem Attack: This is the best logical Appeal To Novelty: The Appeal to fallacy, and if you disagree with me, well, Novelty's a new fallacy, and it blows all your you’re an idiot. crappy old fallacies out the water! All the cool kids are using it: it's OBVIOUSLY the best. Appeal To Emotion: See, my mom, she had to work three jobs on account of my dad Appeal To Numbers: Millions think that this leaving and refusing to support us, and me fallacy is the best, so clearly it is. with my elephantitis and all, all our money went to doctor's bills so I never was able to Appeal to Pity: If you don't agree that get proper schooling. So really, if you look Appeal to Pity is the greatest fallacy, think deep down inside yourself, you'll see that my how it will hurt the feelings of me and the fallacy here is the best. others who like it! Appeal To False Authority: Your logical Appeal To Tradition: We've used Appeal to fallacies aren't logical fallacies at all because Tradition for centuries: how can it possibly be Einstein said so. Einstein also said that this wrong? one is better. Argumentum Ad Nauseam: Argumentum Appeal to Fear: If you don't accept Appeal ad nauseam is the best logical fallacy. to Fear as the greatest fallacy, then THE Argumentum ad nauseam is the best logical TERRORISTS WILL HAVE WON.
    [Show full text]
  • Narrative Spaces and Literary Landscapes in William Gilmore Simms’S Antebellum Fiction
    GEOGRAPHIES OF THE MIND: NARRATIVE SPACES AND LITERARY LANDSCAPES IN WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS’S ANTEBELLUM FICTION Kathleen Crosby A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of English and Comparative Literature in the College of Arts and Sciences. Chapel Hill 2015 Approved by: Philip F. Gura William L. Andrews Jennifer Larson Timothy Marr Ruth Salvaggio © 2015 Kathleen Crosby ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Kathleen Crosby: Geographies of the Mind: Narrative Spaces and Literary Landscapes in William Gilmore Simms’s Antebellum Fiction (Under the direction of Philip F. Gura) Genre affords a theoretical and conceptual framework for knowledge production and knowledge distribution. Rhetorically, genre affords a political, artistic, and ideological tool that enables a rhetor to respond to personal and cultural anxieties. Geographies of the Mind: Narrative Spaces and Literary Landscapes in William Gilmore Simms’s Antebellum Fiction examines ten of nineteenth-century American author William Gilmore Simms’s works, including three manuscript-only ones. Drawing upon rhetorical theory and narrative theory, this project uncovers the breadth of Simms’s rhetorical and literary practices within the confession narrative, the ghost story, the pirate romance, and the sentimental novel. I demonstrate that Simms’s texts both adhere to and subvert the boundaries of generic conventions and, in doing so, elucidate legal, psychological, and transnational concerns of the time. By focusing on the narrative spaces of Simms’s texts, I prove that Simms’s geographic spaces reverberate with hauntings that serve to mark moments of intellectual, personal, and historical disconnect, thereby voicing the disjunctive nature of antebellum southern spaces.
    [Show full text]