انگیختگی ادراکی ایجاد حافظه های جدید اپیزودیک را بهبود می بخشد

The study examines the pattern of relations between level of threat, political attitude (willingness for political compromise), and well-being (level of stress and life satisfaction) among Israeli teenagers in reaction to Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Participants were 419 teenagers from two residential areas: the Northern area (close to the Israeli–Lebanese border) and the Central area (distant from the border). The results show: (a) significant differences between the two groups on: political attitude (Center scored higher), on level of stress (North scored higher), and on life satisfaction (North scored lower); (b) a significant negative correlation between exposure to threat and political attitude; (c) significant negative correlations between political attitude and measures of stress, and a significant positive correlation with life satisfaction; (d) political attitude mediates between level of threat and well-being. Political and educational implications, and mental health policy are discussed.

The withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon in May 2000, created political uncertainty that was a source of both hope and of fear, affecting individuals’ level of stress as well as their overall well-being. The withdrawal was a unilateral Israeli move, taken without attaining a formal agreement with either Lebanon or Syria. Being exposed to political violence has generally been an idiosyncratic local phenomenon, known mainly to the people living in specific areas where war or terror was taking place, such as Israel, Ireland, South America, or Bosnia. However, in the past few years political terror has become a much wider phenomenon. This paper focuses on the relationship between teenagers’ willingness for political compromise, and reactions to the threat created by the new political situation. The uniqueness of the current research lies in the specific context in which the relationships between political attitudes and the reactions to threat of war and terror are studied. The participants are teenagers who were born into the existing conflict between Israel and Lebanon and who have experienced political hardship throughout their entire lives. The possibility that willingness to compromise, which is part of the democratic tradition, might be associated with levels of stress and life satisfaction might be a relevant issue that should be of concern to mental health policy makers, educators, social science researchers, and political leaders alike in various areas around the globe (Punamaeki, Qouta, & Sarraj, 1997).