bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Planning, motivation, and evaluation in orientation to the future: A latent structure analysis
Authors: NURMI JARI‐ERIK
Published: May 2008

The paper presents a model of orientation to the future in terms of three processes; motivation, planning, and evaluation. To test this model a total of 154 11‐, 15‐ and 18‐year‐old adolescents were interviewed about their goals and hopes for the future. Seven observed variables were estimated and a model including three latent constructs was tested using the LISREL VI computer program. The planning construct consisted of the amount of knowledge, the complexity of plans and their level of realization. The evaluation construct included internality, estimation of the likelihood that the goals would be realized and an overall emotional evaluation of the future. The motivation construct consisted of one observed variable, extension. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model fitted the data, thus providing support for the theoretical model.
Stability and change in feelings of loneliness: A two‐year prospective longitudinal study of advanced alcohol abusers
Authors: ÅKERLIND INGEMAR , HÖRNQUIST JAN OLOF
Published: May 2008

In order to study the changing nature of loneliness in a prospective design, 78 alcoholics were examined twice with an interval of two years. Change scores in loneliness were correlated with change scores in social network, psychological well‐being, life‐satisfaction, activities, adaptation to one's work and non‐work situation, psychiatric symptoms and alcohol consumption. In addition, a step‐wise multiple regression analysis with loneliness change as the dependent variable was performed. Change in loneliness was accompanied by changes in well‐being (especially indolence, self‐esteem and perceived treatment from others), mood‐related psychiatric variables and satisfaction with autonomy and life as a whole. However, other variables, like satisfaction with one's social network and a number of non‐cyclic psychiatric disorders, did not change along with loneliness, despite stable cross‐sectional links. The discrepancy between the cross‐sectional and the longitudinal correlation patterns may be indicative of different forms of loneliness in regard to temporal stability.
Predictions of developmental patterns during infancy: Assessments of children 0–1 years
Authors: RISHOLM‐MOTHANDER PIA
Published: May 2008

The present study investigated how neonatal behavioural organization was related to later mental development during the first year of life. The study further investigated the relationship between early social affective behaviour and later mental development. A group of 40 infants was assessed five times during the infants' first year, at three and 14 days and at four, eight and 12 months. The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS), the Duve method (a clinically based method for observation of social affective behaviour), and Griffiths' Mental Development Scales were used to assess the development of the infants. The results indicate that early predictive behavioural components can be identified. Noenatal state control capacity was related to motor development at both eight and 12 months. Social responsivity at four months was related to hearing and speech at eight as well as at 12 months. The NBAS dimensions were good predictors of eight months performance, but were poor predictors of 12 months performance.
Consistency in synesthetic experience to vowels and consonants: Five case studies
Authors: SVARTDAL FRODE , IVERSEN TROND
Published: May 2008

The present study attempted to specify the actual degree of consistency in synesthetic experience in two synesthetes and three non‐synesthetes. By comparing colour chip selections, and size and density ratings, to the same set of stimulus letters on separate occasions, it was found that the synesthetic subjects showed a high consistency in responding over a short (24 hours) as well as a long (one year) time span. In comparison, the non‐synesthetic subjects demonstrated less consistent responding when retested after 24 hours. However, the differences between the two groups were smaller than expected. Consistency to vowels and consonants was compared, and it was found that consistency to consonants was comparable to, or even higher than, vowel consistency in all subjects.
Sex stereotypes in Norway revisited: 1977–87
Authors: BJERKE TORE , WILLIAMS JOHN E. , WATHNE PER H.
Published: May 2008

In 1977 sex‐trait stereotypes in Norway were measured at the young adult level and at the level of five‐year‐olds. At the young adult level the Adjective Check List was used, and the results were analysed according to an affective meaning scoring system, and a scoring system based on Transactional Analysis. The instrument used for children was a picture‐story technique (Sex Stereotype Measure II). Persistence and change in sex‐trait stereotypes were examined by replicating the study in 1987. Quantitatively, young adults' sex‐trait stereotypes seemed to have changed little during the last decade, but qualitative analyses indicated that stereotypes have changed in the direction of greater favourability, activity and strength towards women and in the reverse direction towards men. The children in the 1987 sample expressed less stereotype knowledge than children in the 1977 sample concerning traits which traditionally have been ascribed to men.
Reliability of drug use responses in a longitudinal study
Authors: PEDERSEN WILLY
Published: May 2008

In a prospective longitudinal study of adolescents' drug use, the trustfulness of the self‐reports about drug use was investigated by means of a test for logical consistency. A sample of 1936 high school students completed a written survey in the fall of 1987 and again in spring 1988, seven to eight months later. The findings indicate that the information obtained is logically consistent at one particular point in time. Analyses show, however, that the consistency drops somewhat over time. The legal drug use responses show the highest consistency, the answers regarding hard drugs like amphetamine and heroin show the least favourable consistency, with cannabis and inhalants somewhere in the middle. There seem to be two main reasons for the inconsistent answers: some respondents wilfully underreport their drug consumption. This seems partly to be a function of the level of illegality of the drug. However, poor memory and episodic uses of such drugs seem also to be important. Generally this study agrees with other studies and indicates an overall relatively high level of longitudinal consistency regarding drug use responses. This kind of survey must therefore be regarded as a relatively reliable instrument in collecting information regarding drug use.
Facial reactions to fear‐relevant stimuli for subjects high and low in specific fear
Authors: DIMBERG ULF
Published: May 2008

This study was performed to investigate whether subjects high and low in fear of snakes react with different facial electromyographic (EMG) responses when exposed to snakes. Two groups of subjects were exposed to slides of snakes or flowers. After the experiment they rated their fear of snakes on a questionnaire and based on these ratings they were divided into high and low fear groups. Facial EMG was measured from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions. As predicted the high fear group reacted with a facial response interpretable as a negative emotional reaction whereas the low fear group did not. This difference was specific to snakes because high and low groups did not differ in responses to slides of flowers. The results are consistent with the proposition that facial EMG reactions reflect emotional responses and indicate that the facial EMG technique is a sensitive tool to distinguish reactions between subjects high and low in specific fears.
Perceived unpleasantness and facial reactions to auditory stimuli
Authors: DIMBERG ULF
Published: May 2008

This study examined whether facial electromyographic (EMG) reactions differentiate between identical tone stimuli which subjects perceive as differently unpleasant. Subjects were repeatedly exposed to a 1000 Hz 75 dB tone stimulus while their facial EMG from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions were measured. Skin conductance and heart rate responses were also measured. The subjects rated the unpleasantness of the stimulus and based on these ratings they were divided into two groups, High and Low in perceived unpleasantness. As predicted the facial EMG activity reflected the perceived unpleasantness. That is, the High group but not the Low group reacted with an increased corrugator response. The autonomic data, on the other hand, did not differ between groups. The results are consistent with the proposition that the facial muscles function as a readout system for emotional reactions and that facial muscle activity is intimately related to the experiential level of the emotional response system.
Rod suppression of cone‐mediated information about colour and form during dark adaptation
Authors: STABELL BJØRN , STABELL ULF
Published: May 2008

Following substantial bleaches, the specific form and hue thresholds were measured during dark adaptation with a test stimulus of 1×2° at 40° extrafoveally. The wavelength of the test field was varied between runs. The results show that both thresholds started to rise at about the cone‐rod break of the dark‐adaptation curve, irrespective of wavelength used in the test. Furthermore, the specific threshold for form was found to rise when a scotopic stimulus was superimposed on a photopic test flash. On the other hand, both thresholds remained at the cone‐plateau level when the test flash was confined within the rod‐free fovea. In order to explain the rise in the specific thresholds, it is suggested that signals from rods generated directly in response to the test stimulus may suppress both cone‐mediated form and colour. It is also suggested that this type of rod‐cone interaction represents a general characteristic involved in several kinds of visual information processing.
Some linguistic determinants of Swedish word recognition
Authors: JARVELLA ROBERT J. , MELLENIUS INGMARIE , WENNSTEDT OLA
Published: May 2008

Native Swedish words and words of foreign origin were studied in a word fill‐in task (Experiment 1), in a task in which words were explicitly classified as being native or loan words (Experiment 2), and in a lexical decision task in which a small onset asynchrony was introduced in displaying a word's letter pattern (Experiment 3). The findings obtained show that, both in simple printed word recognition and when asked to make explicit judgments about origin, readers are sensitive to phonological features of words not marked in Swedish orthography. It was further found that previewing a substring of word‐initial letters which determines a word's root morpheme will prime recognition, whereas previewing a randomly selected pattern of letters inhibits recognition.
The Sociomoral Reflection Measure: Applicability to Swedish children and adolescents
Authors: NILSSON INGRID , CRAFOORD JOHANNA , HEDENGREN MARIA , EKEHAMMAR BO
Published: May 2008

The Sociomoral Reflection Measure (SRM; Gibbs & Widaman, 1982) was developed as a group administerable instrument for measuring developmental stages of moral reasoning. The aim of this study was to examine its reliability and construct validity, employing a sample of 542 Swedish elementary and high school students (aged 8–17), from schools within metropolitan Stockholm. Interrater reliability varied between 0.83 and 0.92, and the internal consistency coefficient was 0.76. Factor analyses of the norms (on which the overall score is based) revealed one factor for the oldest age group (16–17 years), but two factors among the younger subjects (8–15 years), clearly separating the norms related to each of the two moral dilemmas. The Sociomoral Reflection Maturity Score was moderately, but significantly, related to both age and grade. The results suggests that, although used in a non‐American context and with self‐trained raters, the SRM seems highly applicable in Sweden, at least for research purposes.
Smoking and Type A behaviour
Authors: OYEFESO ADENEKAN O. , ODEYALE MARGARET A.
Published: May 2008

This study examines the relationship between Type A behaviour and smoking. Data were gathered from a random sample of 100 undergraduate male daily smokers, with a mean age of 21.2 years (SD = 2.72), using the Type A Behaviour Scale (Bortner and Rosenman, 1967).

Results reveal that Type A smokers are heavier daily consumers of cigarettes than Type B smokers (t= 2.90, p < 0.01). The observed relationship between smoking and Type A behaviour remains significant even when the influence of aggression in partialled out. The need to further investigate the interplay of genetic and non‐genetic predispositions, and smoking in the incidence of coronary heart diseases (CHD) is suggested.
Infants’ sensitivity to differential luminance as information about depth1
Authors: PUTAANSUU JORMA , HOFSTEN CLAES VON
Published: May 2008

To what degree are young infants able to perceive differential shadowing and to what degree are they able to utilize this stimulus parameter as information about depth? Two habituation experiments were performed. In Experiment 1, a group of 5‐month‐old infants were habituated to a low frequency, vertical, and approximately sinusoidal luminance grating superimposed on a flat colored surface. This display induced stable 3‐D perception in adult subjects. After habituation, the infants viewed two test displays at alternating trials. One was made up of real half cylinders matching the light distribution of the habituation display and the other was made up of a square wave grating of the same spatial frequency as in the habituation one. Adults perceived the latter display as flat. Results showed that both test displays were treated as new ones by the infants habituated to the sinusoidal grating. Experiment 2 was identical to Experiment 1, except that the subjects were 3 1/2‐month‐old. These infants treated the half cylinders as familiar and the square wave grating as new. The results indicate that infants at both age levels (3 1/2 and 5 months of age) were sensitive to the difference between sharp and gradual change in luminance which is a prerequisite for perceiving form from luminance. However, neither age group seemed to utilize gradual change in luminance as information about space.
The geometric representation of similarity and dissimilarity. Extension to measures of dispersion and comments on the distance model of subjective dissimilarity
Authors: JUNGE KENNETH
Published: May 2008

In psychometrics and mathematical taxonomy dissimilarity is commonly geometrically represented by the Euclidean (Minkowski) distance function. This is only a part of a general geometric representation of similarity and dissimilarity (Junge, 1978). Gini's index (or ratio) and Pearson's coefficient of variation, used in economics as measures of income distribution inequality, are known in mathematical statistics as standardized measures of dispersion. It is shown that both measures can be identified with the general geometric representation of similarity and dissimilarity.
The psychologic of forgiving
Authors: SMEDSLUND JAN
Published: May 2008

Psychologic is an attempt to systematize the commonsense psychology embedded in ordinary language. In this system, the concepts of respect, anger, and guilt, are directly linked, since messages of disrespect, and only those, create anger in the receiver and guilt in the sender. This paper deals with the process of forgiving, whereby respect is reaffirmed and anger and guilt are alleviated. Forgiving depends on clarification of misunderstanding as well as on apology and atonement. The distinction between forgiving others and forgiving oneself is treated. It is concluded that what goes on inside persons and between persons has the same structure.
Mood change and marathon running: A pilot study using a Swedish version of the POMS test
Authors: HASSMÉN PETER , BLOMSTRAND EVA
Published: May 2008

Regular exercise is said to have positive effects on mood, especially if the exercie intensity is low to moderate. However, the acute effects resulting from participation in a strenuous competition, such as a marathon race, have been studied less. The present investigation used the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test to measure mood, before and after the 1989 Stockholm Marathon. A total of 106 male runners (mean age 40.0 years), with finishing times between 3 h and 3 h 45 min participated as subjects. Results showed great changes between pre‐and post‐marathon scores, most of them significant at the p < 0.001 level. Furthermore, differences between a faster and a slower group of runners were demonstrated with regard to mood states, even though plasma glucose levels were comparable. It is concluded that participation in a marathon race greatly effects mood, mainly in a more negative way than low to moderately intense exercise does.
Reactions to DMT as related to psychotic and borderline personality organization
Authors: SUNDBOM ELISABET , ARMELIUS BENGT‐ÅKE
Published: May 2008

Thiry‐one inpatients in a psychiatric clinic were assessed with DMT and the Structural Interview. In order to assemble every relevant reaction that an individual might have to a percept‐genesis, 130 DMT variables were formed. The results were first subjected to a quality control of the DMT‐scores and then subjected to partial least squares in latent variables (PLS) discriminant analysis. The analysis showed that it is possible to separate patients with psychotic PO (PPO) from those with borderline PO (BPO) by means of the 130 variables. The BPO group is characterized by aggressive manifestations, sensitivity to threat, identity lability and various transformations of the Hero gestalt. The PPO group, on the other hand, is characterized by high threshold values for perception, lack of identity, denial and repression of the peripheral person at a late‐phase level. There are other perceptual reactions that are important predictors of PO than the defence categories of the manual. These perceptual reactions do not correspond to the traditional psychodynamic defence mechanisms. Our conclusion is that principal component analysis (PCA) and PLS are useful methods of finding discriminating patterns of perceptual reactions to the DMT for patients with different PO.
Irrelevant speech and serial recall: Implications for theories of attention and working memory
Authors: JONES DYLAN , MORRIS NEIL
Published: May 2008

Irrelevant speech markedly impairs serial recall of visually presented lists, even though the person is asked to ignore the speech. In this, the first major review of the phenomenon, we conclude that (i) the effect occurs in memory rather than at encoding; (ii) within memory, the disruption occurs as a result of a confluence of information at the phonological rather than at the articulatory stage of coding; (iii) speech does not have privileged access to memory, since its disruptive effects may be attenuated by habituation; and (iv) disruption occurs as a result of the changing state of the auditory channel, not as had previously been thought the phonological similarity of visual and auditory streams, and is particularly sensitive to pitch changes in both speech and non‐speech stimuli. These conclusions are discussed in the light of two complementary theoretical constructs: a cascading filter system responsible for the access of speech to memory and a system of coding within memory sensitive to changing state of the stream responsible for disruption of serial order. Recommendations are made also for empirical work to refine these constructs.
Time perception: Effects of sex and sound intensity on scales of subjective duration
Authors: EISLER HANNES , EISLER ANNA D.
Published: May 2008

Six women and six men reproduced ten time intervals varying in logarithmic steps between 1.3 and 20 s. The durations were indicated by white noise of 10, 25, 40 and 55 dB SL, different sound intensities in different sessions. It was found that (i) greater sound intensity entails shorter reproductions, and (ii) reproductions by male observers are shorter than those by female, although for both (i) and (ii) there is an interaction with the standard durations. The data were treated in accordance with the “parallel‐clock model” (Eisler, 1975), whereby the parameters of the psychophysical power function are determined from duration reproduction data. As in previous experiments (Eisler, 1975), the data showed a break in the function entailing two segments. The effect of sound intensity could be attributed to the exponent, which was lower for stronger noise, and the effect of sex to the weight coefficient of the upper relative to the lower segment of the psychophysical function, the coefficient being lower for men.
Coronary‐prone behavior may be declining in Danish men and women
Authors: SMITH DONALD F. , STERNDORFF BENT
Published: May 2008

Four hundred males and four hundred females were randomly selected from the Danish population and received the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) on two occasions, once in 1988 and again in 1992. The JAS was rated by the standard procedure, providing a measure of the degree of time urgency and ambitiousness (Factor A), speed and impatience (Factor S), hard‐driving and competitiveness (Factor H) and job involvement (Factor J) shown by the subjects. The scores obtained for all four factors tended to be lower in 1992 than in 1988, and the differences were significant for Factor H. In addition, gender differences were observed for Factors A, S and J, with higher scores being obtained by males than by females. Age‐related differences were observed for Factors A and J. The findings indicate that Type A behaviors have declined during the past four years in the Danish adult population and that different strategies may be required for encouraging health behaviors in men and women.
A re‐evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Basic Character Inventory
Authors: KALDESTAD EYSTEIN
Published: May 2008

The aim of this study was to re‐evaluate the psychometric properties of the Basic Character Inventory (BCI). In a rather large sample of 503 subjects (323 women and 180 men, 88 non‐psychotic psychiatric inpatients and 415 non‐patients) factor analysis resulted in three factors with personality traits almost identical with the BCI Oral, Obsessive and Hysterical scales. BCI seems to be a fruitful and reliable assessment instrument for personality traits and character types as outlined in psychoanalytic theory. However, some of the trait subscales ought to be scrutinized in future psychometric re‐evaluative studies of BCI on new, large samples. Another factor analysis showed that the BCI Oral scale, together with all the ten subscales of the psychiatric Symptom Check‐list 90 (SCL‐90), loaded on the first factor, and the BCI Obsessive and Hysterical scales loaded on the second factor, but with different signs. Orality seems to be related to psychopathology.
Effect of visual experience on iocational judgements after perspective change in small‐scale space
Authors: LEHTINEN‐RAILO SINIKKA , JUURMAA JYRKI
Published: May 2008

Congenitally blind, late blind and blindfold sighted adults overleamed an object‐array within a square frame by touch, and judged, facing the midpoint of the frame, the near/far/left/right locations of objects from sides and diagonally from corners. One‐half were first guided to points (A‐condition), the rest were first asked to imagine themselves as being at points (I‐condition). Group and condition did not, but group and observation point did, interact. Lack of visual experience added to RTs and total times and increased errors especially at diagonal stations. Congenitally blind subjects differed from both late blind and blindfold sighted subjects. However, a section of the congenitally blind subjects attained the level of blindfold sighted subjects. The sequence A‐I speeded up judgements in all groups. Group did not interact with size of space. Congenitally blind subjects reportedly resorted to holistic representations, but had specific limitations in using them at diagonal stations. Orientation skills of the congenitally blind in far space could be improved by practising perspective taking in near space.
Open‐field thigmotaxis during various phases of the reproductive cycle
Authors: KVIST S. BÉATRICE M. , SELANDER RITVA‐KAJSA
Published: May 2008

Three experiments were conducted on female Swiss albino mice in order to determine whether open‐field (OF) ambulation and thigmotaxis (wall‐seeking) alter both as functions of reproductive phases such as estrus, mating, gestation, partus, lactation, weaning, as well as of presence, absence and OF location of a newborn pup. The results revealed increased thigmotaxis as an effect of estrus (p < 0.001). From mating to one month postpartum a growing tendency towards maternal occupation of centre OF partitions was observed. Maternal ambulation reached its peak two days before partus but dropped to its lowest level during the lactation period at which time the mice were the least wall‐seeking. Ambulation was enhanced (p < 0.001) in the presence of a pup regardless of Oft starting point and the pup's placement. However, when the mouse dam was initially placed together with the pup by the OF wall, she hardly penetrated centre units at all.
The psychological adjustment of young immigrants in Norway
Authors: SAM DAVID LACKLAND
Published: May 2008

In order to examine the adjustment of young immigrants to their new cultural environment, questionnaires were administered to young Third World immigrants living in Norway. Responses (N= 568) obtained from these children aged 10 through 17 years old, indicated that even though they evaluated their health and present life as satisfactory, a good deal of low self‐image, depressive tendencies and psychological and somatic symptoms were present among them. Approximately between 11 and 14% of the children were found to have from high to extreme levels of symptomatology. Anti‐social behaviors were on the other hand almost entirely absent among the sample, a situation believed to be an artifact of the measuring instrument used. While no differences were observed between boys and girls with respect to how they evaluated their health and present life, girls were found to report more disorders than boys. Boys on the other hand reported engaging in more anti‐social behaviours than girls. Using Norwegians of similar age as a reference group, these children were found to be worse off than their native peers. The children's psychological disorders were found to be related to their mode of acculturation, and that integration may be the most adaptive mode of acculturation.
Risk perception and the location of a repository for spent nuclear fuel
Authors: BIEL ANDERS , DAHLSTRAND ULF
Published: May 2008

This study investigates lay people's reactions to a repository for nuclear waste. Risk perception is seen as a complex concept, comprising both affective and cognitive components. Attitude towards nuclear power and trust in experts and authorities had a substantial impact on risk perception, while personal knowledge about nuclear waste disposal had no effect. Thus, the more positive one's attitude towards nuclear power is and the more trust one has in experts and authorities, the lower one's risk perception is. Also, reactions were expected to vary with distance between the home district and the location of a repository. These variations differed in nature for people with alternative levels of risk judgement. The distance between the home and a repository affected approval of the proposed site. Distance between home and repository also had an effect on risk feelings and somewhat less on beliefs about consequences. Estimated total risk was directly mediated by beliefs about consequences, but even more so by risk feelings. With regard to risk, one can conclude that it is important to make a distinction between an emotional and a cognitive component of risk perception.
Behavioral determinants of mothers' safety measures to prevent injuries of pre‐school children
Authors: WORTEL EDITH , De GEUS GERARD H. , KOK GERJO
Published: May 2008

Home‐related injuries are a major threat to pre‐school children in the western world. In this study the behavioral determinants of 18 parental safety measures were assessed. To select behavioral determinants, the Attitude‐Social influence‐Self‐efficacy/barriers model was used with the inclusion of variables from the Health Belief Model and the Protection Motivation Theory. A written questionnaire was completed by 1129 Dutch mothers of pre‐school children. Most safety measures were explained (rather) well by the same set of determinants. Main determinants for adopting or not adopting a safety measure were the mother's belief in the necessity of the safety measure according to the child's age, her belief about her partner's opinion on the necessity and her belief about the success of taking the measure. Subsequent important determinants were the mother's belief about the inconvenience and instrumentality of the safety measure; the perceived susceptibility had a minor or moderate influence on most measures. This study did not indicate that more highly educated mothers were more knowledgeable about safety‐related subjects. The theoretical implications of this study are discussed.
Perceptual unit formation in simple motion patterns
Authors: AHLSTRÖM ULF
Published: May 2008

The present study investigated the proximal constraints that determine perceptual unit formation under minimal stimulus conditions. Projections of three moving dots, which could form two possible two‐dot configurations, were presented to naive observers. In a forced‐choice situation, their task was to report which two‐dot configuration was perceived as a distinct perceptual unit. The results showed that common motions (arbitrary translations and rigid rotations in the frontoparallel plane) have stronger grouping power as compared to different relative motions (expansions/contractions, or simultaneous expansions/contractions and deformations in the frontoparallel plane). It was found that proximal changes of distances between elements in two‐dot structures reduce grouping power. Changes of proximal directions, however, did not affect unit formation in two‐dot structures at all. The effect of vector algebraic combinations on grouping power in three‐dot strutures was also investigated. Evidently, visual vector analysis splits up motion combinations into their constituents, and in come cases this contributes to additive effects.
Immune disorders and handedness in dyslexic boys and their relatives
Authors: JARIABKOVÁ KATARÍNA , HUGDAHL KENNETH , GLÓS JOZEF
Published: May 2008

Thirty dyslexic and 30 control boys aged 7–11 years were compared for frequency of immune disorders and handedness as well as for family history of immune disorders and learning disabilities (dyslexia and stuttering). They were also compared for neurological status and for history of speech and language difficulties. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the frequency of immune disorders and in handedness. The results showed significantly more dyslexic boys with soft neurological signs and signs of speech and language disorders. The frequency of dyslexia was significantly higher in the relatives of the dyslexic boys. Also significantly more mothers of the dyslexic boys reported difficulties during pregnancy and complications at delivery. The results are discussed in terms of Geschwind's hypothesis and neuromaturational delay as possible determinants of developmental dyslexia.
On stability of the structure of implicit personality theory over situations
Authors: HOCHWÄLDER JACEK
Published: May 2008

In the present study, the following (hitherto unaddressed) question was posed: “Is the structure of implicit personality theory stable over situations?”. In order to answer this question, correlation coefficients were computed between different aspects of two trait‐structures obtained under different situational conditions. The results seem to indicate that the structure of IPT is stable over situations. The results are discussed in the light of some methodological considerations.
Measuring depression for Swedish nonclinical adolescents: Factorial validity and equivalence of the Beck Depression Inventory across gender
Authors: BYRNE BARBARA M. , BARON PIERRE , LARSSON BO , MELIN LENNART
Published: May 2008

Building upon earlier confirmatory factor analytic research that validated a 2nd‐order 4‐factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory for Canadian and Swedish nonclinical adolescents, the purposes of the present study were twofold: (a) to test the factorial structure of the Swedish version of the instrument separately for males (n= 559) and females (n= 537), and (b) to test for its measurement and structural equivalence across gender. Except for three minor discrepancies involving correlated errors, the hypothesized model best described the data for both males and females. Nonetheless, the imposition of equality constraints across sex revealed differences bearing on the measurement of six items, and latent construct relations involving the Somatic Elements factor. Four gender differences in factorial structure replicated findings for Canadian adolescents. Results have important implications for researchers, clinicians, and others whose interests focus on nonclinical adolescent depression.
Electrodermal lability in anxiety disorders
Authors: JENSEN HANS HENRIK , HASLE NICOLAS , BIRKET‐SMITH MORTEN
Published: May 2008

Twenty‐eight anxiety patients, aged below 50 years, were diagnosed according to DSM‐III‐R criteria (panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, generalised anxiety disorder, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified). The patients were characterised by high levels of state and trait anxiety and neuroticism, compared with the controls. However, there were no differences between patients and controls in electrodermal habituation rate, non‐specific activity, or skin resistance level. When the patients were divided into electrodermally labile and stable subjects, significant differences were found between patients and controls in both electrodermal activity and Eysenck's personality dimensions. The labile patients were more introverted and attained higher psychoticism scores than either the stable patients or controls. Duration of anxiety symptoms removed the difference found in extroversion, but not in any other variable. The results are discussed in relation to the utility of electrodermal measurements in validation of diagnostic entities. It is concluded, that from the psychophysiological point of view, anxiety disorders may be examined within a dimensional framework.
Psychometric properties of the Danish 16PF and EPQ
Authors: MORTENSEN ERIK LYKKE , REINISCH JUNE MACHOVER , SANDERS STEPHANIE ANN
Published: May 2008

A Danish translation of the Cattell's 16PF has been used in studies evaluating the effects of prenatal drug exposure. This paper reports a psychometric analysis of the 16PF and Eysenck's EPQ based on a sample of 558 young Danes. Many 16PF scales had unacceptable psychometric properties (as indicated by coefficient alpha and item–total score correlations), but more satisfactory results were obtained with the EPQ N and E scales. A factor analysis of all 16PF and EPQ scales suggested a six factor solution that roughly corresponds to the second‐order factor structure obtained by Krug and Johns (1986). It is concluded that the second‐order factor structure should be the basis of interpretation of the 16PF in both practical and research contexts.
Prevalence and severity of anxiety, depression and Type A behaviors in angina pectoris
Authors: SMITH DONALD F. , STERNDORFF BENT , RØPCKE GÜNTHER , GUSTAVSEN ERIK M. , HANSEN JØRN KRØYER
Published: May 2008

The role of psychological factors in coronary heart disease was examined by administering the Bech Rating Scale (BRS) of mood disorders and the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) for Type A behavior patterns (TABP) to a consecutive sample of angina patients (N= 94), to a consecutive sample of noncardiac patients (N= 47), and to a random sample of adults from the general population (N= 217). Anxiety and depression were both more frequent and more severe in angina patients than in noncardiac patients or in the general population. There was a tendency for certain components of TABP (i. e. speed, impatience, hard‐driving and competitive disposition) to be elevated in angina patients, but a similar trend was noted in noncardiac patients. Although no consistent relations were observed between negative emotions and TABP scores in angina patients, their anxiety and depression scores were reliably related to their use of nitroglycerin. The findings concur with previous studies concerning the presence of anxiety and depression in patients with angina pectoris and indicate that such negative emotions are not closely related to Type A personality traits.
Activity during unemployment and mental health
Authors: UNDERLID KJELL
Published: May 2008

The main purpose of this study was to investigate activity during unemployment and the relationship between such activity and mental health in a sample (n= 213) of unemployed Norwegians. The results indicate that the unemployed are generally more passive than the average population, and that they are considerably less involved in social activities. However, the unemployed do not constitute a homogenous group in terms of activity level and activity profile. Women were somewhat more active that men, particularly in connection with domestic chores. Young people were more active than the other age groups, particularly in connection with extra‐familial activities. Several significant relationships were found between different activity categories and mental health. The more active the unemployed were, the better their mental health. The results are discussed in relation to similar data for the average population, other unemployment research, subjective and objective factors which can be of importance to the activity level and profile of the unemployed, sex role issues, theoretical models developed to explain and understand the effects of unemployment, methodological considerations, and the possible functions of activity for mental health.
Similarity between partners in real and perceived personality traits as measured by the Myers‐Briggs type indicator
Authors: NORDVIK HILMAR
Published: May 2008

From 90 couples, 90 male and 90 female subjects, two sets of scores on the four personality dimensions measured by the Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) were obtained by letting each person answer each item twice, first in the ordinary way and then as he or she believed the partner would answer the item. Correlations between partners' self‐reported scores were all close to zero, whereas the correlations between the partner‐reported scores and the self‐reported scores were high for both males and females and for all the four dimensions measured by the MBTI, thus indicating that partners were not similar in personality traits, but they had a realistic perception of each other. The results support the hypothesis that mating is random in terms of personality traits.
The association between retrospective outcome evaluations and pre‐post‐treatment changes in psychodynamic group‐psychotherapy
Authors: JENSEN HANS HENRIK , MORTENSEN ERIK LYKKE , LOTZ MARTIN
Published: May 2008

In the present study of 203 patients in psychodynamic group psychotherapy, we explore associations between patient and therapist global retrospective outcome evaluations (ROE), and pre‐post‐treatment changes on the Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL‐90‐R) and non‐symptomatic focus of therapy. There were no significant associations between ROE, diagnoses and demographic variables, and pre‐treatment SCL‐90‐R associations were negligible (less than 4% of overlapping variance). SCL‐90‐R subscale improvement expressed as residual gain score explained the overall largest percent of variance in both patients and therapists (44% and 25%, respectively) when compared with raw difference scores (32% and 18%), and percent reduction from baseline (34% and 23%). Moreover, ROE/end‐state adjustment associations were substantial (42% and 24%). Therapists’ evaluation of change showed the strongest association with improvement in non‐symptomatic focus of therapy, while patients’ evaluation had the strongest association with improvement in SCL‐Depression. It is concluded that retrospective evaluations reflect changes related to treatment. However, unexplained variance may be independent of symptomatic state, and associated with personality factors or domains not captured by standard questionnaires.
Different Groups, Different Strategies: How Interest Groups Pursue Their Political Ambitions
Authors: Binderkrantz Anne
Published: May 2008

The article compares the political activities of different types of interest groups. Drawing on data from a survey of all Danish national interest groups, it demonstrates significant variation in the strategic choices of different types of groups. Groups with corporative resources direct much attention towards influencing the bureaucracy. They possess resources valued by officials and therefore have good options for utilizing a strategy targeting the administration and seeking corporatist integration. By contrast, public interest groups are more likely to use publicly visible strategies in which affecting the media agenda plays a central role. By engaging in such strategies, public interest groups can demonstrate a high level of engagement to their diffuse membership. Furthermore, the goals of public interest groups are typically conducive to pursuit through public strategies. A third category of other groups is incorporated in the analyses as a point of reference to establish patterns of strategy use. While there are clear differences between groups with regard to most strategies of influence, different types of groups are equally engaged in a parliamentary strategy. Interacting with Parliament seems to be important for groups integrated in corporatist structures as well as for those relying more on public strategies.
Retrospective Voting and Electoral Volatility: A Nordic Perspective
Authors: Söderlund Peter
Published: May 2008

This article examines why people vote for the same party, switch parties or move from voting to non‐voting at consecutive elections. By using post‐election survey data from Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden in the beginning of the 2000s, the main aim is to model the impact of retrospective evaluations of party performance while controlling for theoretically relevant variables. The results of the multinomial regression analyses confirm that dissatisfaction with the performance of a party correlates strongly with party defection, and that the relationship is not weakened with the inclusion of variables for general dissatisfaction with the political system and its actors, standard background factors and political variables. This suggests that many voters are concerned with valence issues and value the overall competence of politicians and parties when they are making a decision whom to vote for.
Agroclimatic Zonation for Wheat Production in the Savanna Region of Nigeria
Authors: Oche C.Y.
Published: May 2008

Over the past few decades, demand for wheat in tropical and less developed countries has outweighed local production capacity. Increasing wheat production requires prior investigation of the crop’s requirements. In places with relatively low technology a naturally favourable environment is paramount for optimum production. In a tropical country such as Nigeria, climate appears to be the most critical factor for wheat growth. A new technique (or model) of delineating the savanna region of Nigeria based on its agroclimatic potential for wheat production is proposed in this study. Analytical techniques of multiple regression, hierarchical clustering and suitability rating were employed in determining the crop production potentials. Five suitability zones were identified. The study shows that the Jos Plateau and the adjacent high plains of Kaduna and Zaria have the best climate for wheat production in Nigeria. It also observes that the climatic potential for wheat production generally decreases equatorwards due to the consistently high temperatures and humidity.
Ambiguity and Cooperation in the Implementation of Adult Protection Policy
Authors: McCreadie Claudine , Mathew Dinah , Filinson Rachel , Askham Janet
Published: May 2008

Using a classification of public policy developed by Matland, we examine implementation of policy on adult protection as outlined in ‘No Secrets’, the government's guidance to local agencies. This policy appears to exemplify a ‘high‐ambiguity/low‐conflict’ model. Detailed interviews with staff charged with developing multi‐agency procedures, in local authority departments, health authorities, the police and the voluntary sector, confirmed the ambiguity of the policy and the uncertainty experienced by staff as a consequence. However, the interviews also revealed a number of areas of conflict, particularly as people gave precedence to their own professional norms and organizational priorities over partnership working.
ON THE UNIMODALITY OF THE GENERALIZED NEGATIVE BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTION
Authors: Consul P.C. , Famoye F.
Published: May 2008

Abstract.It is shown that the generalized negative binomial distribution which is useful in random walks, queueing theory and branching processes is unimodal. When nθ(1 –θ)β‐1 > 1, the mode is not at the pointx= 0 and for that case, the lower and the upper bounds of the mode are obtained.
PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTIZED RANGE STATISTIC FOR TWO OUTLIERS IN A LINEAR MODEL
Authors: Lalitha S. , Joshi P.C.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. In JOSHI and LALITHA (1986) a statistic K is proposed for detecting two outliers present in the opposite directions in a linear model. This statistic reduces to the Studentized range statistic for the case of a simple random sample from a normal population. In this paper, the performance of this statistic is studied. For this an approximate non–null density of the random variables involved in defining the statistic is derived. An exact density is also obtained by using the methods of LALITHA and JOSHI (1986), where the results are proved for Murphy's statistic. A measure of performance is then defined and an example is also given for highlighting the usage of the above said statistic.
Fighting the arch–enemy with mathematics‘
Authors: de Haan L.
Published: May 2008

This is an account of theoretical and applied statistical work done in connection with the problem how to determine a safe height for the sea dikes in the Netherlands
The empirical distribution function as a tail estimator
Authors: Einmahl J.H.J.
Published: May 2008

It is shown that the empirical distribution function performs well in tail estimation. Consistency as well as the relative error are considered. The results hold true without any condition on the theoretical distribution function.
Facts and fallacies: differentiation and the general education curriculum for students with special educational needs
Authors: KING‐SEARS MARGARET E.
Published: May 2008

As policy makers and educators respond to legislation promoting the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, there is sometimes confusion about why this is being done and how it can be accomplished effectively. In this article, two categories of fallacies, or misunderstandings, are identified. The first fallacy is that students with disabilities are incapable of learning the general education curriculum. The second fallacy is that teachers are required to ‘cover’ the entire curriculum, sometimes at a pace that leaves students with and without disabilities behind. Facts are presented following each fallacy. These facts describe research‐based pedagogies effective for students with and without disabilities, indicating that students with mild disabilities can learn the general education curriculum when responsive pedagogies are used. These facts also describe how schools that promote differentiation can potentially achieve higher scores on large‐scale assessments than schools that promote ‘one size fits all’ instruction.