bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: A Case of No Sex Bias in Attribution1
Authors: Izraeli Dafna N. , Izraeli Dove , Eden Dov
Published: August 2006

This study examines the effects of informational cues on the attribution of success in a masculine task. Israeli managers (subjects) first evaluated the performance of a fictitious male/female manager and then attributed a cause to his/her success in attaining the managerial position. As predicted, performance evaluation affected the attribution and manager sex did not. An unexpected association between leadership style and attribution was found. Implications of these findings for female managers and for further research are considered.
Does Group Discussion Attenuate the Dispositional Bias?
Authors: Wright Edward F. , Wells Gary L.
Published: August 2006

Attribution researchers have considered the dispositional bias to be pervasive even though it has never been examined as a function of group discussion. Group discussion is a common context for attributions (e.g., jury deliberations) and there are reasons to expect such discussions to affect the bias. The current experiment examined this issue within an attitude attribution paradigm. Because group discussion necessitates a time delay between presentation of information and the attribution dependent measures, subjects in three control conditions were asked to estimate an essayist's attitudes after little deliberation, much deliberation, or after merely preparing for a discussion. The 472 male and female participants were assigned randomly to one of 16 conditions in a 2 (pro vs. con essay) × 2 (choice vs. no choice) × 4 (immediate judgment vs. delayed judgment vs. delayed plus anticipated discussion judgment vs. group discussion judgment) between‐subjects factoral design. Results indicated that group discussion significantly attenuated the dispositional bias but neither prolonged deliberation nor anticipated discussion had such effects. The fact that actual discussion was required to eliminate the dispositional bias, rather than the mere anticipation of such discussion, suggests that there is something about the sharing of arguments that helps attributors to avoid the dispositional bias. Analyses of the discussion transcripts, however, failed to reveal the content of the arguments that produced the attenuation effect.
Effects of Job Conditions on Worker Perceptions: Ambient Stimuli vs. Group Influence1
Authors: Larocco James M.
Published: August 2006

This study identifies the direct effects of objective job conditions on individual perceptions of job conditions. The assumptions that (1) group perceptions mediate the relationship between objective job conditions and individual perceptions of job conditions, and (2) group consensus enhances the relationship be‐between group perceptions and individual perceptions were tested.

Respondents were white, male, blue collar workers (N= 1240) in a tire and rubber manufacturing plant. Work groups (N= 156), consisting of four or more men on the same shift, in the same department, and who had the same supervisor, were identified. Objective job conditions included work group size, pay style, shift, and job technology. Group and individual perceptions of amount of work‐load, role conflict, responsibility pressure, and intrinsic rewards were measured.

The findings indicated that objective job conditions have important effects on individual perceptions of stressful and rewarding job conditions. Smaller work groups, and jobs that pay on an hourly rather than a piece‐work basis, allow for some control over the pace of work, and allow for interaction among fellow workers resulted in higher levels of intrinsic rewards and lower levels of workload, role conflict, and responsibility pressures. An intriguing pattern appeared where, in perceptions involving interpersonal relations, work group influence was relatively more important than objective job conditions. When assessing task oriented aspects of work, objective job conditions were more important than group perceptions.
The Timing of the Defense Opening Statement: Don't Wait Until the Evidence Is in1
Authors: Wells Gary L. , Wrightsman Lawrence S. , Miene Peter K.
Published: August 2006

Defense attorneys often reserve their opening statements until after presentation of evidence by the prosecution, a practice advocated by some experts. The current study, involving 291 subjects, varied the timing of the defense attorney's opening statement so that it preceded the prosecutor's opening statement, immediately followed the prosecutor's opening statement, or was reserved until after the prosecutor's case presentation. The type of opening statement (content vs. noncontent) and the testimony (altered vs. unaltered) were varied for purposes of increasing generalization. Materials were based on an actual case of auto theft and were presented in written form complete with judge's instructions. The results showed that subjects perceived eyewitness testimony, the prosecutor's opening statement, the prosecutor's closing statement, the defense attorney's closing statement, and the effectiveness of the attorneys differently depending on the timing of the opening statement. Each of these items favored the defense more than the prosecution if the defense opening statement was earlier rather than later. These effects did not interact with type of opening statement or the testimony alteration variable. Individual verdicts, when weighted by the subjects' confidence in their verdicts, were also affected by the timing variable with verdicts more favorable to the defense when the defense opening statement was given earlier rather than later. The consistency with which the timing variable affected subjects' impressions suggests that defense attorneys who take their first opportunity to make an opening statement, rather than delay, end up with a stronger case for their client. Possible exceptions to this conclusion are discussed.
Family Consumption of Low Fat Foods: Stated Preference Versus Actual Consumption1
Authors: Weidner G. , Archer S. , Healy B. , Matarazzo J. D.
Published: August 2006

Food preferences for low fat, low cholesterol foods were obtained directly from 30 mother and child pairs. The food preferences of mothers and children were not related and both were not accurate in estimating each other's food likes. When food preferences of mother and child were correlated with stated frequency of consumption, virtually no relationships emerged. The best predictor of what was being served to the entire family was what the father (husband) liked to eat. These results suggest that dietary interventions in families should include the fathers.
The Social Construction of “What's Fair” at Work1
Authors: Fine Michelle
Published: August 2006

This paper examines how the public views an act of discrimination as a consequence of the social context in which the injustice occurs and as a function of how the victim rcsponds. Results indicate that a context that offers grievance procedures to workers who feel unjustly treated enhances the public's perception of injustice if the victim decides not to file a grievance or if the victim files a grievance and wins. The victim who loses her or his claim is derogated and the act of discrimination justified. Implications for policy and public opinion on sex and race discrimination cases are examined.
Stress and the Control Beliefs of Prisoners: A Test of Three Models of Control‐Limited Environments1
Authors: Mackenzie Doris Layton , Goodstein Lynne I.
Published: August 2006

Three models are proposed to explain the relationship between individual differences in beliefs and stress responses in control‐limited environments: (1) the Environmental Incongruency, (2) Differential Stress Responses, and (3) Undifferentiated Responses. The present research examined the support for each model using inmates differing in control beliefs and prison as the control‐limited environment. The results did not support either the Incongruency or the Differential models. In contrast with previous studies of control‐limited environments, there was no evidence of change in passive stress responses over time in prison, but there was an increase in active responses (e.g., conflicts with other inmates) early during incarceration. As predicted by the Undifferentiated Response M odel, inmates who were more external in Locus of Control experienced significantly more active and passive stress reactions. No differences were found in stress as a function of their internal beliefs.
The Influence of Type A and B Behavior Patterns on the Perceived Quality of Dating Relationships1
Authors: Rosenberger Lisa M. , Strube Michael J.
Published: August 2006

This study examined the influence of Type A and B behavior on the reported satisfaction of dating couples. It was hypothesized that the competitive style of the Type A would hinder the smooth functioning of intimate relationships, particularly when exhibited by the female partner. Results supported this prediction and further indicated that Type A females were involved in relationships that developed to the stage of intimacy (i.e., dating) nearly twice as quickly as relationships involving Type B women. These results suggest the importance of the Type A and B patterns in the investigation of interpersonal relationships.
Eyewitness Testimony of Children1
Authors: Parker Janat Fraser , Haverfield Elizabeth , Baker‐Thomas Stephanie
Published: August 2006

The effects of age of witness and age of suspect on eyewitness testimony were investigated. Forty‐eight elementary‐school children and forty‐eight college students viewed a slide sequence of a mock crime. This was followed by photo identification of the suspect, descriptive and peripheral objective questions related to the crime, and a second photo identification of the suspect. The results indicated that descriptive questions were answered better than peripheral questions by adults, whereas there was no difference between question types for children. Children and adults were equally accurate in photo identification per se, but children were less stable in their choices from test to retest. There was no evidence of an interaction of age of witness with age of suspect in photo identification.
Incidence and Etiology of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Active Duty Army Personnel1
Authors: Stretch Robert H.
Published: August 2006

A description is presented of the results of the first phase of a programmatic research effort into the incidence and etiology of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among noncivilian Vietnam and Vietnam‐Era veterans. Questionnaire data were collected from 238 Vietnam veterans and 85 Vietnam‐Era veterans stationed at a moderate‐sized U.S. Army post on the East Coast in the Spring of 1982. Results show a significantly lower incidence of PTSD than has been reported in the literature among civilian Vietnam veterans. Social support received during the first year back from Vietnam appears to contribute more to the attenuation of PTSD symptomatology than does combat experience alone. Additional results highlight the relationship between physical and psychosocial health.
The Role of Integrative Complexity in Military Leadership: Robert E. Lee and His Opponents1
Authors: Suedfeld Peter , Corteen Raymond S. , McCormick Carroll
Published: August 2006

Paragraphs selected from material written by Gen. Robert E. Lee between 1839 and 1867, and by Union generals who opposed him in six major battles, were scored for integrative complexity. This characteristic is defined by the degree of differentiation and integration that the individual demonstrates in processing information, ranging from low or simple (rigid, all‐or‐none, egocentric) to high or complex (flexible, information‐oriented, integrated) on a 1–7 scale. Gen. Lee showed a high level of complexity as a stable characteristic, with changes downward in periods of particular stress. Lee was able to defeat superior enemy forces in battles where his level of complexity was substantially higher than that of the opposing commander; this was not the case when the levels were closer together or when (as with Grant) he faced an opponent whose complexity was actually higher than his own. These findings support previous research on the effects of stress, and emphasize the nature of information processing complexity as both a “trait” and a “state” variable.
Is There a Double Standard of Aging?1
Authors: Deuisch Francine M. , Zalenski Carla M. , Clark Mary E.
Published: August 2006

Elderly and college‐aged subjects rated photographs of both sexes at three different ages on 10 adjective rating scales. Evidence for a double standard of aging was obtained. Although both men and women were perceived to diminish in attractiveness as they aged, the decline for women was greater. Moreover, ratings of women's femininity decreased with increasing age, whereas evaluations of men's masculinity were unaffected by age. Unexpectedly, elderly subjects, as compared to college students, discriminated less on the basis of sex and evaluated women more positively. Changes in the gender roles of the elderly were invoked to explain their more favorable conceptions of women.
Selection of Public Housing Tenants: On the Feasibility of Using an Objective Screening Procedure1
Authors: Burke Beverly G. , Smith Elton C. , Otoole Laurence J.
Published: August 2006

Problems facing public housing authorities can be addressed through two basic alternative perspectives. One assumes that difficulties result from the behavior of certain “problem” tenants and recommends careful screening of applicants. This perspective influenced a housing authority in a small city, which desired a means to select tenants who would be less likely to exhibit problems. Information in the records of the housing authority was analyzed to identify tenant characteristics predictive of problem tenancy. The findings indicated that these problems were not as widespread as believed by management and that tenant characteristics were not strongly predictive of problems. Application of this approach would probably not constitute a significant improvement over present practices and might allow unfair discrimination to occur unwittingly. Instead, the most feasible strategy to reduce the impact of problem tenancy, even within a single locale, seems to be to focus on management practices and to address the more fundamental causes of tenant difficulties.
Assignment of Punishment as a Function of the Severity and Consequences of the Crime and the Status of the Defendant1
Authors: Miller R. J. , Chino Allan F. , Harney M. K. , Haines Debra A. , Saavedra Ramón L.
Published: August 2006

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of two types of status on judges' sentencing decisions. One type emphasized the defendant's history of conformity (conformity status); the other emphasized his power (power status). Also examined were the crime's outcome for the group (activity significance), and its severity (degree of deviance). Subjects were 81 university students assuming the role of sentencing judge and presented with case descriptions of defendants. Higher levels of assigned punishment were significantly related to higher levels of degree of deviance and activity significance, and to lower levels of conformity status. Power status had no significant influence on punishment decisions. It is concluded that predicting differential treatment of defendants requires an understanding of several variables, and that the importance of status as a factor depends on the particular type of status involved.
The Effects of Bifurcation and Death Qualification on Assignment of Penalty in Capital Crimes1
Authors: Horowitz Irwin A. , Seguin David G.
Published: August 2006

An experiment was conducted to test the effects of the bifurcated trial procedure and the death qualification process on sentencing and verdicts in death penalty cases. Forty‐four 12‐person juries, assigned to one of five trial conditions, returned verdicts indicating that death qualified, bifurcated juries gave the most severe verdicts and the highest proportion of guilty verdicts, while non‐death qualified, trial only, juries returned the least severe verdicts and the highest proportion of not guilty or hung outcomes. Thirty‐seven penalty phase juries, of which 20 had previously assigned guilt, were distributed among five penalty conditions. The sentencing data revealed that the most severe sentences were given by the death qualified, bifurcated juries. The least severe sentences were returned by the non‐death qualified, bifurcated juries. Juries impaneled for the penalty phase only and death qualified meted out moderate sentences.
Explaining the Social and Psychological Impacts of a Nuclear Power Plant Accident1
Authors: Richardson Brad , Sorensen John , Soderstrom E. Jon
Published: August 2006

This research investigates the antecedents of psychosocial impacts of the TMI nuclear power plant accident. A model of factors that are hypothesized to affect impact levels is developed and configured to approximate a hypothetical causal sequence. Using data from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission telephone survey, the technique of path analysis is used to test relationships in the model. The results show that the antecedents explain 12% of the variance in individual stress, 45% of the variance in family disruption, and 16% of the variance in perceived community change. The analysis shows that the TMI specific attitudes and sensitivity to radiation risks are strong antecedents of impacts. Although general attitudes toward nuclear power have minor indirect effects, it appears that situational experiences with the accident are the major contributors toward explaining impact levels.
Attitude Change in a Realistic Experiment: The Effect of Party Membership and Audience Reaction During an Interview With a Dutch Politician1
Authors: Wiegman O.
Published: August 2006

In this realistic experiment, an interview with the leader of the Liberals in the Dutch Parliament was recorded in the presence of a live audience, which reacted in a positive, negative, or neutral way. It was shown to subjects of two opposing political parties, whose attitudes were to be changed by the experimental interview. The main hypothesis, which predicted more attitude change in the positive than in the negative audience condition, could not in general be supported. The alternative audience attraction hypothesis was mainly sustained: With an audience, perceived as attractive, attitude change was greatest when the audience reacted positively and least when it reacted negatively, while for an unattractive audience the opposite effect was demonstrated.
The Effects of Participation in Decision‐Making on Worker Satisfaction and Productivity: An Organizational Simulation1
Authors: Vanderslice Virginia J. , Rice Robert W. , Julian James W.
Published: August 2006

Although correlational evidence of a positive relationship between participation in decision‐making and satisfaction is relatively consistent, whether participation in decision‐making has a causal effect on satisfaction remains unclear. The present research examined, through an organizational simulation in which high and low levels of participation in decision‐making were manipulated, the causal effect of participation on satisfaction and productivity. The subjects were 128 male undergraduates randomly assigned to 32 four‐person groups. Results of the experiment showed that participation in decision‐making had a significant positive effect on satisfaction. In addition, the correlation between perceived influence and satisfaction was positive (r= .31). Contrary to theoretically derived predictions, participation had no impact on productivity.
Psychosocial Responses of Hospital Workers to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)1
Authors: O'Donnell Lydia , O'Donnel Carl R. , Pleck Joseph H. , Snarey John , Rose Richard M.
Published: August 2006

To assess the psychosocial responses of hospital workers to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 237 hospital employees were interviewed. Information was obtained on frequency and nature of contact with AIDS patients; knowledge about AIDS; attitudes about AIDS and about homosexuality; and stresses related to AIDS care. Four indices were developed: AIDS‐Contact, AIDS‐Phobia, Homophobia, and AIDS‐Stress.

Misperceptions and fears about AIDS, as well as negative attitudes about individuals with the disease, were common. AIDS‐Phobia was positively correlated with Homophobia and AIDS‐Stress. AIDS‐Phobia and AIDS‐Stress were negatively correlated with AIDS‐Contact. More patient contact was associated with lower levels of perceived stress, except for those with frequent but impersonal patient contact. Strategies for educational programs based on results are proposed.
Stability and Change in Type A Components and Cardiovascular Reactivity in Medical Students During Periods of Academic Stress1
Authors: Hill D. Robin , Krantz David S. , Contrada Richard J. , Hedges Susan M. , Ratliff‐Grain Jeffrey A.
Published: August 2006

This study examined the effects of academic stress upon components of Type A behavior and cardiovascular reactivity. In a longitudinal design, heart rate and blood pressure responses to the Type A Structured Interview (SI) and additional laboratory challenges were measured in medical students at three points during an academic semester. Sessions 1 and 3 were scheduled during vacation periods; Session 2 took place during an intensive examination week. Results indicated that three “stylistic” components of Pattern A derived from the SI—loud and explosive speech, short response latency, and potential for hostility—increased significantly during the exam period. Similar increases achieved marginal significance for another stylistic component, rapid and accelerated speech. By contrast, global Type A assessments did not increase with academic demands. Cardiovascular reactivity was significantly but only moderately stable across the three sessions, showing less consistency than has been reported in previous research. In addition, there was little evidence in this study that cardiovascular reactivity was potentiated by academic stress or by Type A behavior. These results demonstrate the influence of naturalistic environmental factors on overt behavioral components that have recently been suggested as coronary risk factors. Therefore, it is advisable for future experimental and epidemiological research to examine the social and environmental context in which these behaviors occur.
Physical Attractiveness and Psychological Adjustment Among Substance Abuse Inpatients: A Longitudinal Study1
Authors: Sussman Steve , Marks Gary , Freeland John , Harris Janel K. , Vernan Shulamit , Alford Geary , Mueser Kim T.
Published: August 2006

Relations between psychological adjustment and physical attractiveness were examined longitudinally in substance abuse inpatients, controlling for the effects of length of drug abuse, length of inpatient stay, age, and socioeconomic status. Measures of adjustment and attractiveness were obtained during the first week of admission and six weeks later (within two weeks of discharge). Regression analyses indicated that initial attractiveness did not predict later adjustment, and initial adjustment did not predict later attractiveness. Partial correlation analyses revealed a positive association between attractiveness and adjustment at the first time point, but not at the later time point. These results suggest that physical attractiveness exerts only a temporary effect on judgments of adjustment in an inpatient setting. Attractiveness may affect decisions made when screening patients at mental health facilities, but may not affect decisions made over the full course of inpatient treatment.
Attitudes and Social Support: Determinants of Job‐Seeking Behavior and Well‐Being among the Unemployed1
Authors: Vinokur Amiram , Caplan Robert D.
Published: August 2006

What determines job‐seeking behavior following a job loss? What are the mental health consequences of an unsuccessful job search? These questions were addressed in a longitudinal panel survey of 297 recently unemployed people, over a four‐month period of their lives. In support of the Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) attitude‐behavior model, intention to try hard to seek reemployment was the main significant predictor of job‐seeking behavior during the subsequent four months. Intention, along with affirmation support from a significant other regarding the value of job search, accounted for 24% of the variance in job‐seeking behavior. The attitude toward job seeking and the subjective norms (perceived social pressure to seek reemployment) were the main determinants of the intention, accounting for 69% of its variance. The unemployed person's attitude toward job seeking and subjective norms were, in turn, determined by (a) perceived instrumentality (expectations that job‐seeking will lead to reemployment), (b) perceived economic hardship, (c) social support from the significant other (usually the spouse) in the form of affirmation of the value of job‐seeking activities, and (d) the significant other's perception of the instrumentality of various job‐seeking behaviors and of subjective norms regarding job‐seeking.

Other analyses showed that social support can counteract the negative effects of unsuccessful job search on mental health and that such effects are particularly pronounced among the more highly motivated job seekers. The implications of these findings for intervention programs are discussed.
Application of a Temporal Persistence Model to Community Residents' L]ong‐Term Beliefs about the Three Mile island Nuclear Accident1
Authors: Dew Mary Amanda , Bromet Evelyn J. , Schulberg Herbert C.
Published: August 2006

Little is known about the conditions under which beliefs and attitudes about an issue or event will persist over time. The present research took advantage of a “natural experiment”, namely, the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear accident, in order (a) better to understand the nature of individuals' b]eliefs about a major event to which they were exposed and (b) to evaluate a conceptual formulation developed from laboratory‐based experimental literature concerning when beliefs and attitudes are likely to be temporally persistent. Data were collected over a 3‐year period following the accident from two samples of community residents: mothers of young children who lived within a 10‐mile radius of TMI and TMI nuclear power plant employees. Samples of mothers and workers from a western Pennsylvania comparison site were also included in the study design. Results supported the persistence model in several respects. First, TMI subjects' b]eliefs, although more extreme than comparison subjects' v]iews, showed virtually no change during the study period. Second, the factors that the model suggests should account for the observed persistence were indeed consistently important predictors of TMI subjects' b]eliefs over time. Implications of the results for future applied work on long‐term reactions to major events are discussed.
Why Doesn't Everyone Work to Prevent Nuclear War? A Decision Theory Analysis
Authors: Fuld Kenneth , Nevin John A.
Published: August 2006

The general lack of action to prevent nuclear war, despite widespread belief that such a war is likely to occur and knowledge of its catastrophic consequences, can be traced to a sense that individual action does not matter. The absence of perceived differential outcomes for action can also prevent the discrimination of real threats. Therefore, education about the nuclear threat is not likely to be effective unless accompanied by efforts to establish a sense of personal efficacy.
Keeping Your Distance: Group Membership, Personal Space, and Requests for Small Favors1
Authors: Glick Peter , Demorest Judith A. , Hotze Carla A.
Published: August 2006

The effects of group membership and interpersonal distance on interpersonal anxiety and compliance with a small request were explored. In a field experiment, people seated alone in the public eating area or a shopping mall were approached by one of two female confederates: an in‐group member or an out‐group member. Three different interpersonal distances were assumed by the confederates: near, medium, and far. The “medium” distance was the normative distance for interactions between strangers in the experimental situation. Although the out‐group confederate aroused greater anxiety and obtained less compliance than the in‐group confederate overall, these differences completely disappeared in the far‐distance condition. It is suggested that one reason why out‐group members are less likely to elicit compliance with a small request is that they arouse interpersonal anxiety on the part of potential helpers. The results of the present experiment indicate that this anxiety can be reduced (and compliance thereby increased) if the out‐group member assumes a somewhat greater distance than is normally deemed appropriate for interactions between strangers.
Assignment of Responsibility and Penalties for an Impaired Driving Incident1
Authors: Wilson R. Jean , Jonah Brian A.
Published: August 2006

This study investigated the factors which influence assignment of responsibility and penalties for a hypothetical impaired driving incident. Each one of 156 volunteer subjects, recruited from three drinking establishments, read one of nine descriptions of an incident in which outcome severity and offender characteristics were varied. Personal similarity of subject to offender (driver) was varied according to subjects' self‐reported driving while impaired (DWI). Subjects completed a questionnaire concerning the incidents as well as information about themselves. The results supported Shaver's defensive attribution hypothesis in that subjects reporting recent DWI attributed less responsibility and assigned lighter penalties than did non‐DWI subjects. The results suggest that the predictors of responsibility attribution and penalty assignment are not identical and that the two tasks may involve different processes. The factors influencing penalty assignment are consistent with the legal penalty structure for impaired driving offenses in Canada and other countries.
Community Development in Rural Mexico: The Social Psychological Effects of Adult Education1
Authors: Garza Raymond T. , Isonio Steven A. , Gallegos Placida I.
Published: August 2006

A field study compared the social‐psychological impact of two traditional adult education programs (certification and literacy) with a socio‐ecologically oriented approach in three rural Mexican community types (Ejido, Hacienda, Cabecera) varying in structure and degree of isolation. The primary findings revealed interactions between community and program for the luck/fate dimension of locus of control and for a measure of social efficacy. Community type was the critical factor affecting program impact on luck/fate locus of control beliefs: Residents of the most unstructured and isolated community (Ejido) showed the greatest shift toward internality. Program focus produced significant changes in feelings of social efficacy in two of the three communities. The socio‐ecological program contributed most to social competence in the Hacienda community, whereas the certification program had the greatest positive impact in the Cabecera community. The findings are discussed in terms of the relevance of the ecological approach to community intervention in developing countries such as Mexico.
Cognitive Tendencies in Analogical Forecasting1
Authors: Biela Adam
Published: August 2006

This article attempts to identify some cognitive tendencies involved in analogical forecasting of the outcomes of medical treatment. Sixty‐one medical doctors were involved in two experimental tasks concerned with prediction of the outcomes of a new medical treatment when the result with a first patient was known to be either negative or positive. The same subjects were also tested by the Short Optimism/Pessimism Questionnaire (SO/PQ) to explore relationships between life attitude and the cognitive tendencies observed in the experiment.

The following findings were reported: (1) The first step of forecasting was recognized as a Data Evaluation Process (DEP), where the physician decides if the given data are sufficient to forecast the result of the same treatment with a new patient. (2) Two cognitive tendencies were identified: non‐data‐suggested tendency—drawing a conclusion opposite to the data given; and data‐suggested tendency—drawing an optimistic conclusion when forecasting from “positive” data and a pessimistic conclusion when forecasting from “negative” data. The second tendency appeared to be dominant; however, the “positive” data created a stronger atmosphere to draw conclusions on a negative outcome. (3) It was stated that analogical forecasting involves two integrated processes, i.e., concluding and asserting. If the integration process is not complete, the subject is drawing analogical conclusions with a low confidence. (4) An optimistic life attitude appeared to be an important factor in determining analogical forecasting.
Disarmament Decisions as Social Dilemmas1
Authors: Chibnall John T. , Wiener Richard L.
Published: August 2006

The individual deciding on a nuclear weapons production policy is faced with a dilemma in which a choice must be made to support one of several conflicting defense policies. In order to investigate the social‐psychological variables that are related to armament policy decision making, a telephone survey was conducted in the City of St. Louis, Missouri. Adult subjects (N= 110) responded to questions concerned with cognitive, attitudinal, and emotional responses to nuclear arms. Participants were also asked to choose a weapons production policy for the United States under conditions of continued and decreased Soviet nuclear arms production. Results indicated that respondents decisions about nuclear weapons production were related to their support for deterrence, the availability of their nuclear‐related images, their emotional response to nuclear war, their attributions of responsibility for the prevention of nuclear war, and their political party affiliation. Distinctions between antinuclear decision‐makers and pronuclear decision‐makers are discussed.
Effects of Control on the Stress Reactions of Commuters1
Authors: Schaeffer Monica H. , Street Stacey W. , Singer Jerome E. , Baum Andrew
Published: August 2006

The effects of morning, rush hour commuting were examined in a quasi‐experimental field study involving government‐employed commuters (single and carpool drivers). Commuting stress was measured as a response to variations in how difficult it was for commuters to move from home to work. The mediation of these effects by two sources of control in the commuting situation also were assessed. Control was operationalized as control over the internal environment of the car (single versus carpool driver) and choice over routes taken to get to work. Among commuters with a high impedance route, driving to work was associated with significant increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and decreases in behavioral performance. The stress of commuting under high impedance conditions was reduced for single drivers relative to carpoolers. Under similar conditions of high impedance, however, having the option to select more than one route to get to work seemed to be more stressful than having only one route. The practical implications of these results are discussed.
Physical Attractiveness, Dangerousness, and the Canadian Criminal Code1
Authors: Esses Victoria M. , Webster Christopher D.
Published: August 2006

The Canadian Criminal Code contains provisions for labelling certain convicted criminal offenders as Dangerous Offenders. Sentences of indefinite duration are usually imposed on these offenders in place of the fixed sentences that would normally be imposed. The present study examined one potential source of bias in the use of the Dangerous Offender provisions, the physical attractiveness of an offender. Two hundred and eighty‐four adults were given information about a hypothetical offender, including a facial photograph and a conviction record. They responded to questions about the dangerousness of the offender, including questions drawn from the Dangerous Offender criteria. Subjects perceived physically unattractive sexual offenders as significantly more likely to fulfill the Dangerous Offender criteria than average‐looking and attractive sexual offenders. In particular, unattractive sexual offenders were seen as significantly less likely to restrain their behavior in the future. In light of the fact that there is currently no evidence that physical attractiveness is a valid predictor of sexual offender recidivism, this finding provides grounds to question whether the Dangerous Offender provisions of the Canadian Criminal Code, as they now stand, can be administered impartially.
A Well‐Kept Secret: What Counseling Psychology Can Offer Social Psychology1
Authors: Gerstein Lawrence H. , White Michael J. , Barké Charles R.
Published: August 2006

Although social psychology has increasingly influenced counseling psychology, the impact that counseling psychology has had or could have on social psychology is less well developed. This paper considers factors that have limited counseling's influence on social psychology. In addition, contributions that counseling can make to social psychology are presented. It is argued that both disciplines have evolved to investigate the behavior of “normal” individuals in social contexts. It is concluded that there is much to be gained by both specialties in a fuller and more comprehensive integration and understanding of the findings and methods of the other.
Contrast Effects for Black, White, Male, and Female Interviewees1
Authors: Cesare Steven J. , Dalessio Anthony , Tannenbaum Richard J.
Published: August 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether target applicants of different race and/or sex affected the degree of contrast effect error, in an interview setting. This study was a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial ANOVA design (Preceding Applicants × Race × Sex). Undergraduates (N= 120) were randomly assigned to one of the eight experimental conditions. Each subject viewed and rated three videotaped interview simulations. As hypothesized, results indicated a large contrast effect, i.e., preceding applicant main effect. Furthermore, the results also revealed a significant three‐way interaction. The ratings given to all target applicants in the Negative Predecessor condition were equally lenient, while the ratings given to ail target applicants in the Positive Predecessor condition were more variable. The focus of this condition was on the white male target applicant, who received the lowest ratings of any target applicant. Interpretation and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Third‐Party Consent Searches: Legal vs. Social Perceptions of “Common Authority”1
Authors: Kagehiro Dorothy K. , Taylor Ralph B.
Published: August 2006

We investigate the degree of correspondence between legal concepts underpinning third‐party consent searches (a co‐resident permits police search of shared living space and belongings) and laypersons' sociocultural expectations. In accord with the legal concepts, we hypothesized that laypersons would be able to distinguish between authority over (1) exclusive‐use vs. common‐use areas, and (2) personal effects in exclusive‐use vs. common‐use areas. But, we also expected that (3) the interpretation of “common authority” would be influenced by the presence vs. absence of the co‐resident, and (4) the type of intruder (social, commercial, civil authority, or criminal justice authority) would influence responses to requests for entry. These hypotheses were tested using a fully between‐subjects, factorial design (N= 160). Results supported our first three hypotheses. Subjects understood the concept of a warrantless search and distinguished between “exclusive use” areas and “common authority” areas at the level of rooms within the shared residence. Subjects' interpretation of “common authority” for third‐party consent purposes was influenced by physical presence of the co‐resident. If the co‐resident was absent, “common authority” was interpreted as independent consent power. There was no consensual interpretation of “common authority” when the co‐resident was present and protested the proposed search. Results suggest situational dependence of lay understandings of “common authority” over jointly used areas.
Dimensional Structure of Judgments of Crimes1
Authors: Howe Dmund
Published: August 2006

This research explored the correlates and dimensionality of judgments of crimes varying widely in seriousness, and the structure of their mental representation. In Experiment 1, 27 crimes were judged independently along 12 scales. A principal‐factors analysis of interscale correlations yielded a major factor of evaluation, best defined by scales of seriousness, moral wrongfulness, and severity of deserved punishment. Judgments concerning perceptions of probability of conviction, punishment given, likelihood of physical harm, offender dangerousness, and degree of understanding also loaded on the evaluation factor. The second factor was Frequency of Occurrence. The results were generally stable at the local levels of person crimes and nonperson crimes. In Experiment 2 crime stimuli were subjected to pairwise similarity judgments that were analyzed using the Kruskal‐Shepard MDSCAL and Sattath‐Tversky ADDTREE procedures. MDSCAL yielded an interpretable two‐dimensional representation and permitted approximate recovery of the seriousness ordering of crimes. The ADDTREE solution yielded two major partitionings, of person versus nonperson crimes, and several psychologically significant nested subsets clustered within each partition. The two psychometric outcomes were congruent. The overall results confirm a primary dimension of evaluation/seriousness. Implications for research in criminology and the comparative merits of similarity judgments versus single‐scale seriousness ratings of crimes are discussed.
Beauty Is More than “Name” Deep: The Effect of Women's First Names on Ratings of Physical Attractiveness and Personality Attributes
Authors: Hassebrauck Manfred
Published: August 2006

This study investigated the effects of first names on ratings of physical attractiveness and personality attributes. Pictures of female targets varying in physical attractiveness (low, medium, high) were assigned a desirable, neutral, or undesirable first name. In a control group, targets were presented without a first name. Both physical attractiveness ratings and ratings of personality attributes were influenced by targets' physical attractiveness irrespective of the assigned first name.
A Test of the Knew‐It‐All‐Along Effect in the 1984 Presidential and Statewide Elections1
Authors: Powell Jack L.
Published: August 2006

The knew‐it‐all‐along effect is investigated by comparing pre‐ and post‐election predictions of subjects concerning three electoral races in the November 1984 elections. The results revealed that when the outcomes of the predictions are known, subjects recall having assigned higher probabilities and percentages to the actual winners of each election, remember having more confidence in the accuracy of these percentages, and claim to have had more knowledge of the candidates than they had before the election. The results were consistent across all three elections and in both repeated‐measures and between‐pups designs, suggesting that the knew‐it‐all‐along effect is a very robust one. Two underlying processes are hypothesized to account for these results: the availability heuristic and an increase in confidence explanation.
The Effect of Field Independence, Job Analysis Format, and Sex of Rater on the Accuracy of Job Evaluation Ratings
Authors: Cellar Douglas F. , Durr Margaret L. , Halsell Susanne , Doverspike Dennis
Published: August 2006

An experiment was conducted in order to assess the impact of field independence (field independence vs. field dependence), job analysis format (job specifications vs. job descriptions), and sex of the rater on the differential accuracy of job evaluation ratings. Eighty‐eight college students participated in the study. The results indicated that field independent raters were significantly more accurate in their job evaluations, as were subjects rating job specifications.
Determinants of Mediator Behavior: A Test of the Strategic Choice Model1
Authors: Carnevale Peter J.D. , Henry Rebecca A.
Published: August 2006

The present study simulated an organizational dispute to test 12 hypotheses about mediator behavior that were derived from the strategic choice model of mediation. This model is based on the assumption that mediators have four basic strategies to resolve disputes: (a) integrate, which involves a search for mutually acceptable outcomes; (b) press, which involves lowering one or both parties' aspirations; (c) compensate, which involves offering positive benefits in exchange for concessions; and (d) inaction, which involves letting the parties handle the dispute by themselves. The major proposition of the model is that two factors, the mediator's assessment of the likelihood of a mutually acceptable agreement and the mediator's concern for the parties' aspirations, interact to predict mediator behavior. Nine of the 12 hypotheses derived from the model were supported. Pressing by mediators occurred most when mediators had a low estimate of the likelihood of agreement in combination with a low concern for the parties' aspirations. Compensating occurred most when mediators had a low estimate of the likelihood of agreement in combination with a high concern for the parties' aspirations. Inaction occurred most when the mediators' estimate of the likelihood of agreement was high and their concern for the parties' aspirations was low. Integrating occurred most when the mediators had a high concern for the parties' aspirations.
Nuclear Attitudes Before and After Chernobyl: Change and Judgment1
Authors: Eiser J. Richard , Spears Russell , Webley Paul
Published: August 2006

This study examines the attitudes of residents of a small town in Dorset, England, toward nuclear and oil developments. The sample consisted of 135 respondents to a follow‐up questionnaire sent in June 1986 to a group of 356 residents who had responded to a previous questionnaire immediately before the Chernobyl accident in April 1986. There were shifts in the direction of greater opposition to the existing local nuclear plant, and the building of more nuclear power stations elsewhere in the country; comparable shifts were not found in attitudes toward non‐nuclear industrial developments. Post‐Chernobyl attitudes were closely related to evaluations of statements offering alternative interpretations of the accident, in a manner predictable from research on social judgment.
Help for the Significant Others of Bulimics
Authors: Kapoor Sandra A.
Published: August 2006

A quasi‐experimental design was used to assess the effects of a 5‐week assistance program for the significant others of bulimics. A knowledge test, an attitude survey, and a behavior device were used to evaluate the effects of the program. One or more of the three instruments was administered to an experimental group of significant others before (pretest) and after (posttest) they attended the assistance program. One or more of the three instruments was also administered to a control group of significant others before (pretest) and after (posttest) a 5‐week period. During this period they did not attend the assistance program. No significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest scores of the control group on the three instruments at the .05 probability level. Experimental group posttest scores were significantly higher than their pretest scores on the three instruments at the .05 probability level. An anonymous evaluation conducted following the program also indicated significant others who attended the program found it to be beneficial.