bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can Social Supports Be Engineered? An Example from the Army's Unit Manning System1
Authors: Rosen Leora N. , Moghadam Linda Z.
Published: August 2006

The purpose of the study was to examine variables which lead to the perception of instrumental social support among military wives. More specifically, we were interested in two factors: (a) the Unit Manning System, a method of deployment which keeps groups of soldiers and their families together for long periods of time; and (b) husbands' ranks. Both factors were found to be significant predictors of support in a previous study. Using a path analytic model, we demonstrated that being an officer's wife was related to perceived social support only indirectly through its influence on degree of participation in wives' group activities. Participation in the Unit Manning System also had only an indirect influence on social support. Reasons for these findings are discussed with reference to theories about coping and coping assistance.
Understanding Seat‐Belt Intentions and Behavior: A Decision‐Making Approach1
Authors: Sutton Stephen , Hallett Robert
Published: August 2006

In an experimental study designed to investigate a decision‐making model of seat‐belt use, 227 employees of an agrochemical company participated in a health information program in which they watched either a videotape on seat belts or a control videotape and completed questionnaires immediately afterward and at 3 months and 1 year after exposure. In terms of total effects, the seat‐belt videotape influenced beliefs, fear, and intentions assessed immediately after exposure, but had no effect on self‐reported frequency of belt use at 3 months or 1 year. A full path analysis indicated some support for the decision‐making model. In particular, probability difference (the perceived reduction in risk of death or serious injury due to wearing a belt) had a large influence on intentions to wear a belt and partly mediated the effect of the videotape on intentions. Reported frequency of belt use at 3 months was influenced both by post‐test intentions and by initial frequency of belt use. Similarly, belt use at 1 year was affected by belt use at 3 months and by initial belt use. The findings are discussed in terms of the role of subjective probabilities and habitual factors in seat‐belt use.
Social Support, Positive College Events, and College Satisfaction: Evidence for Boosting Effects1
Authors: Weir Renee M. , Okun Morris A.
Published: August 2006

On the basis of previous research on college satisfaction and Cohen and Wills'(1985) social support framework, we hypothesized that structural social support has a main effect on college satisfaction and that the effect of positive college events on college satisfaction is boosted by self‐esteem and belonging functional social support. Analyses were based upon a convenience sample of 392 community college students enrolled in psychology courses. Structural social support had a main effect on college satisfaction, and positive college events interacted with self‐esteem functional social support. The beneficial effect of positive college events on college satisfaction increased as the level of self‐esteem functional social support increased.
Health Promotion, Health Locus of Control, and Health Behavior: Two Field Experiments1
Authors: Quadrel Marilyn Jacobs , Lau Richard R.
Published: August 2006

In spite of a sizable body of research on the effects of information promotions on health knowledge and health behavior, relatively little is known about how such efforts affect change (or why they do not). This paper addresses that problem by exploring the particular role that health locus of control (HLC) beliefs play in individual responses to health promotion efforts aimed at encouraging preventive health behaviors. Two field experiments are presented. The first experiment examined the extent to which HLC beliefs are related to differences in individual levels of health knowledge following the distribution of an informational booklet on health. Internals high on health value who received the information booklet demonstrated greater health knowledge three months later than did other subjects, although this difference was greater among men than among women. The second experiment explored how HLC beliefs interact with differently framed “control” messages to promote behavior change in breast self‐examination (BSE). HLC beliefs interacted with the control language of the BSE promotional message and a neutral reminder to affect subsequent BSE practice. Together, these studies suggest a more influential role for health locus of control beliefs in shaping responses to health messages than has previously been documented in field settings.
Leadership Behaviors in Sport: A Theoretical Model and Research Paradigm1
Authors: Smoll Frank L. , Smith Ronald E.
Published: August 2006

A heuristic model is presented concerning leadership behaviors in youth sports. The cognitive‐behavioral model specifies individual difference variables, situational factors, and cognitive processes assumed to mediate overt coaching behaviors and athletes' reactions to them. Initially, the status of leadership research is reviewed, focusing on the potential relevance of behavioral assessment to this area of inquiry. Next, the athletic environment is characterized as a largely untapped naturalistic setting for psychological research, and a rationale is developed for the study of leadership in youth sports. Following this, consideration is given to the basic components of a mediational model of coach‐athlete interactions and some preliminary research relative to the model. An expanded model is then presented, along with suggestions and hypotheses for future research. Finally, the sport‐specific model and associated research is related to the larger context of theoretical advances and empirical work in the area of leadership.
Can Deception by Salespersons and Customers Be Detected Through Nonverbal Behavioral Cues?1
Authors: Depaulo Peter J. , DePaulo Bella M.
Published: August 2006

Experiments on behavioral lie detection have indicated that observers can detect a communicator's lies with above‐chance accuracy, and that detection accuracy may be enhanced when observers pay special attention to certain vocal and body‐movement cues. The present experiment asked whether deception in (simulated) sales communications by retail salespersons and automobile customers could likewise be detected nonverbally. Contrary to much of the prior literature, deception‐detection in this study was not above chance, apparently because the salespersons' and customers' nonverbal cues simply were not correlated with lying. Though the observers seemed quite suspicious and did not give communicators the “benefit of the doubt”, they could not discriminate the communicators' deceptive communications from their truthful ones. Many—perhaps most—of the lies in sales communications may be told by confident, well‐practiced deceivers whose nonverbal behavior is unlikely to reveal their lying.
Testing Models of Turnover Intentions with University Faculty1
Authors: Hinsz Verlin B. , Nelson Leissa C.
Published: August 2006

Four models of turnover intentions were competitively tested for their effectiveness in predicting the intentions to search for alternative positions and intentions to resign from current positions among a sample of university faculty. Faculty at an upper Midwest university completed a survey developed to measure the components of the four models. All four models (intermediate linkages, expanded Mobley, reasoned action, and planned behavior) significantly predicted intentions to search and intentions to resign. The reasoned action model was found to be more effective and parsimonious than the other models. Attitude toward the turnover action and subjective norm concerning the turnover action appear to be the critical factors influencing the faculty members' turnover intentions. Implications of these findings for turnover research and related concepts such as organizational commitment are discussed.
Expectancy Accessibility and the Influence of Outcome Expectancies on Adolescent Smokeless Tobacco Use
Authors: Stacy Alan W. , Dent Clyde W. , Sussman Steve , Raynor Ann , Burton Dee , Flay Brian R.
Published: August 2006

This study investigated the moderating influence of expectancy accessibility on the relation between outcome expectancies and drug use intentions. Specifically, it was hypothesized that expectancies made temporarily more accessible would predict smokeless tobacco intentions to a greater degree than would less accessible expectancies. In addition, it was anticipated that expectancies regarding positive outcomes of smokeless tobacco use would be better predictors of intention than would expectancies about negative outcomes. Results partially supported the accessibility hypothesis, but this effect occurred for positive outcome expectancies only. In addition, the anticipated prepotency of positive over negative expectancies in predicting drug use intentions was strongly supported. These findings are consistent with theories of problem behavior which differentiate between positive and negative outcome expectancies and which postulate that accessibility of expectancies plays an important role in expectancy‐behavior relations.
Contributors to the Appraisal of Major Life Changes: Gender, Perceived Controllability, Sensation Seeking, Strain, and Social Support
Authors: Jorgensen Randall S. , Johnson James H.
Published: August 2006

This study investigated relationships between the appraisal of life events and gender, locus of control, social support, strain, and sensation seeking. In group sessions, undergraduate males and females completed self‐report measures assessing life events appraisals and self‐report measures for the above individual differences. Analyses supported the notion that a range of these variables, previously shown to serve as moderators of life stress, are significantly related to the appraisals of life events. Moreover, in addition to the gender differences obtained for the perception of life events, gender was found to influence several associations between the individual differences and life events appraisal.
Accuracy and Confidence of Duration Estimates Following Questions Containing Marked and Unmarked Modifiers1
Authors: Yarmey A. Daniel
Published: August 2006

Eighty‐five subjects were engaged in a two‐person discussion for 20 minutes or for 40 minutes. Half of each group was tested immediately and the remainder one week later for their estimate of the duration of the discussion. Postevent questions were phrased with either a marked modifier (“How short was our discussion?”) or an unmarked modifier (“How long was our discussion?”), or subjects were tested using a non‐leading noun‐form statement (“What was the duration of our discussion?”). Sixty‐seven percent of all subjects underestimated and 31% overestimated their respective durations. Accuracy of time estimation was unrelated to the length of the discussion or to the time of test. The adverb short on average produced overestimations, whereas the adverb long and the noun duration on average produced underestimations. No relationship was found between accuracy of estimation and certainty of estimation.
Losing Hair, Losing Points?: The Effects of Male Pattern Baldness on Social Impression Formation1
Authors: Cash Thomas F.
Published: August 2006

In the voluminous research on the psychology of physical appearance, the psychosocial effects of common male pattern baldness (MPB) have been largely neglected. The present experiment examined the influence of MPB on the initial social perceptions of men by both sexes. Eighteen pairs of photographic slides of balding and nonbalding control men were matched on the actual age, race, and other physical attributes of the men. In a first‐impressions context, 54 men and 54 women rated these stimulus persons on seven dimensions of social perception. MPB caused generally less favorable initial impressions, including lower ratings of physical attractiveness, judgments of less desirable personal and interpersonal characteristics, and misperceptions of age. The moderating effects of perceivers' sex and age and stimulus persons' age were examined, mostly without consequence. The baldness stereotype was substantially attenuated when physical attractiveness was statistically controlled.
Nonwaking Responses to Waking Stressors: Dreams and Nightmares1
Authors: Loveland Cook Cynthia A. , Caplan Robert D. , Wolowitz Howard
Published: August 2006

A distinction between self‐reported dreams and nightmares made it possible to test the relative sensitivity of these nonwaking cognitions to different kinds of life stressors including combat expasure, childhood and adolescent stressom, and recent life events. Survey interview data were collected on 442 men from the cohort eligible for military duty during the Vietnam Conflict who varied in their partiapation in that war. Dreams were over 3.5 times more prevalent than nightmares. Nevertheless, it was the prevalence, frequency, and content of nightmares, not dreams, that were consistently associated with life stresors. Links between nonwaking cognitions and life stressors are explored with regard to hypothesized mechanisms involving affect and cognition, wish fulfillment, and working‐through processes.
The Ideology of Anti‐Fat Attitudes1
Authors: Crandall Christian , Biernat Monica
Published: August 2006

We surveyed over 1,000 undergraduates about their attitudes toward fatness and fat people. A consistent pattern of attitudes emerged: People who were anti‐fat shared an ideologically conservative outlook on life. Those who disliked fatness tended to be politically conservative, racist, in favor of capital punishment, and less supportive of nontraditional marriages. By contrast, negative attitudes toward fatness were not associated with conservative sexual attitudes (which are less likely to be ideologically based), although they were related to less tolerance of sexuality among the handicapped, homosexuals, and the elderly. Antifat attitudes seem to be based on ideology, and not on one's own weight situation: Anti‐fat attitudes were virtually unrelated to one's own degree of fatness. The relationship between ideology and anti‐fat attitudes was stronger among men than among women, which indicates that a variety of other, perhaps more self‐relevant factors, play into the anti‐fat attitudes of women. For example, when women held a conservative, anti‐fat ideology, and were in the heaviest weight group, they suffered from low self‐esteem. This relationship did not hold for men, indicating that the relationship between ideology and self‐derogation may be based on the greater self‐relevance weight holds for women. In a second study, we found that anti‐fat attitudes were substantially correlated with authoritarianism, indicating that prejudice against fat people may be another manifestation of a collection of political and social attitudes predicated on conventionalism and a narrow latitude of acceptance of others' behaviors.
Personnel Selection Bias for Job Applicants with Cancer
Authors: Bordieri James E. , Drehmer David E. , Taricone Patrick F.
Published: August 2006

Selection evaluations for job applicants with a history of cancer were experimentally explored. One hundred and thirty‐two supervisors and mid‐level managers reviewed the cover letter and resume of an applicant with a medical condition and the job description for a simulated position. The type of the applicant's cancer was systematically manipulated in the cover letter to represent cancers with varying 5‐year survival rates. Attribution of responsibility for the disability, perceived qualifications, and the recommendation to hire were assessed. Regardless of qualifications, participants made lower hiring recommendations for the applicants with cancer of the colon, pancreas, bone, and thyroid when compared to an applicant with pneumonia. Presumed personal blame for the disability was also found to be negatively related to the hiring recommendation.
Increasing Safety Belt Use: Effects of Modeling and Trip Length1
Authors: Howell Robert H. , Owen Patricia D. , Nocks Elaine C.
Published: August 2006

Effects of modeling on car safety belt use were investigated in a field experiment. Modeling, anticipated trip length, and gender of the model were manipulated in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Sixty‐four female college students were told that they were to participate in an experiment that would take place in another location, requiring a drive either of less than one mile or of several miles. The driver either used or did not use a safety belt. Subjects' belt use was significantly related to the model's behavior. When the driver used a safety belt, 77.4% of the subjects used one; when the driver did not use a safety belt, only 313% of the subjects used one. A significant effect for trip length was also found. In the long trip condition, 71.9% of the subjects used a belt; in the short trip condition, 35.5% used one. Results are interpreted as support for a social learning theory approach to increasing voluntary safety belt use.
Attribution of Control as a Determinant of Cooperation in Exchange Interactions
Authors: Friedland Nehemia
Published: August 2006

Parties to conflict and to exchange interactions typically experience a considerable uncertainty as to the intentions and strategic plans of their adversaries. Such uncertainty is threatening and can therefore elicit competitive responses. Perceived control over an adversary's actions and over the course of an interaction can reduce uncertainty, lower the perceived risk of exploitation, and thus facilitate cooperative responses. This mediating role of perceived control was demonstrated in two experiments. They showed that certain patterns of change in one party's strategy enhanced the other party's perception of control and, concurrently, increased the frequency of its cooperative responses. A third experiment showed that variations in perceived control affect the tendency to cooperate, even if such variations are not directly related to or induced by the adversary's strategy.
The Effect of a Prejudice‐Reduction Simulation on Attitude Change1
Authors: Byrnes Deborah A. , Kiger Gary
Published: August 2006

The effectiveness of a well‐known prejudice‐reduction simulation, “Blue Eyes‐Brown Eyes,” was assessed as a tool for changing the attitudes of nonblack teacher education students toward blacks. The three outcomes were (a) virtually all of the subjects reported that the experience was meaningful for them; (b) the statistical evidence supporting the effectiveness of the activity for prejudice reduction was moderate; and (c) virtually all of the participants, as well as the simulation facilitator, reported stress from the simulation.
The Effect of Capital Punishment on Jurors' Willingness to Convict
Authors: Freedman Jonathan L.
Published: August 2006

Decision‐making theory suggests that jurors will tend to choose the verdict that maximizes the expected gains minus the expected losses of each decision. Capital punishment (as compared to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment) would seem to increase the perceived negative consequences of a guilty verdict without affecting the consequences of a non‐guilty verdict. This should make guilty decisions less likely. To test this prediction, questionnaires were sent to all jurors who had served on 32 first degree murder trials in which capital punishment was not in effect and who reached guilty verdicts. They were asked whether their verdicts in the murder trial would have been affected if capital punishment had been a possible sentence. Thirty percent of the respondents replied that they would have been less likely to vote guilty, whereas only 3% said they would have been more likely to vote guilty. Of the 32 separate jury panels, 30 had at least one person who indicated that he or she would have been less likely to vote guilty; and in 7 trials, 50% or more of those who responded gave this answer. The results appear to indicate that the possibility of a death sentence reduces the likelihood of a guilty verdict.
The Nature and Dynamics of Post‐Sterilization Regret in Married Women 1
Authors: Miller Warren B. , Shain Rochelle N. , Pasta David J.
Published: August 2006

Data for nine different indicators of regret were collected from 213 married women with a tubal sterilization and 137 wives of men with a vasectomy at 1,2, and 3 years following surgical sterilization. Relationships between the indicators across the 3 years and within each year were analyzed, using two psychological models. A final, combined model was synthesized and fitted to the data. This model addresses many of the important issues of reliability and validity that have plagued the literature on post‐sterilization regret for years.
Effects of Contract Framing, Motivation to Quit, and Self‐Efficacy on Smoking Reduction1
Authors: Wilson Dawn K. , Wallston Kenneth A. , King Joan E.
Published: August 2006

Social learning theorists (SLT) have advocated that individual's cognitive beliefs about perceived behavioral ability and outcome expectancies are predictive of behavior change. SLT's also propose that the threat of losing positive rewards may result in greater behavior change than gaining rewards for altering behaviors such as smoking. Specifically, presenting behavioral outcomes in a loss frame context has proven more influential under certain conditions than presenting outcomes in a gain frame context. The present study evaluated the relationship between smoking cessation self‐efficacy motivation to quit, and contract framing on smoking reduction. The majority of cognitive and behavioral changes occurred between baseline and 3 months into a 12‐month treatment program. An interaction between contract framing and motivation to quit suggested that, for subjects with low motivation, receiving combined (gain plus loss) frame contracts resulted in smoking fewer cigarettes posttreatment than receiving gain frame only contracts. An interaction between framing and self‐efficacy also indicated that subjects who received combined frame contracts smoked fewer cigarettes if they had high rather than low self‐efficacy beliefs.
Men's Motivation to Perform the Testicle Self‐Exam: Effects of Prior Knowledge and an Educational Brochure
Authors: Steffen Valerie J.
Published: August 2006

College men reported their attitude and intention to perform the testicle self‐exam (TSE) and they rated the likelihood of various consequences of performing the TSE, as well as the likelihood that several other people approved of this behavior. Half of these men had read a brochure about the TSE before completing the questionnaire, and half had not. Also, about half had heard about the TSE prior to the experiment and the others had not. Men's beliefs about the consequences of doing the TSE clustered into two factors: Beliefs about practical consequences and beliefs about health consequences. Men with (vs. without) prior knowledge about the exam and men who read (vs. did not read) the brochure endorsed more positive beliefs about practical and health consequences and more positive TSE attitude and intention. However, the effect of the brochure was far stronger for men without than with prior knowledge. In addition, factors influencing TSE attitude and intention differed for men without versus with prior TSE knowledge. Although the findings were generally consistent with the theory of reasoned action, some findings supported elements of protection motivation theory. Implications for promoting the TSE are discussed.
Predicted and Recommended Behavior of a Woman as a Function of Her Inferred Helplessness in the Dowry and Wife‐Beating Predicaments
Authors: Vaz Laura , Kanekar Suresh
Published: August 2006

Two experiments, using hypothetical situations, examined predictions and recommendations regarding a woman's behavior in the dowry and wife‐beating predicaments as a function of her perceived helplessness. The dowry experiment described the situation of a stimulus person who has to decide whether to marry a boy under the dowry condition and had a 2 (subject's sex) × 2 (stimulus person's attractiveness) × 2(stimulus person's age) × 3 (stimulus person's socioeconomic status) factorial design, with estimated likelihood of marrying and recommendation to marry as the two dependent measures. The wife‐beating experiment described the situation of a battered stimulus person who has to decide whether to leave her violent husband and had a 2 (subject's sex) × 2 (stimulus person's economic independence) × 2 (stimulus person's having children) × 3 (stimulus person's socioeconomic status) factorial design, with estimated likelihood of leaving the husband and recommendation to leave the husband as the two dependent measures. The subjects of the two experiments were undergraduate or graduate students of Bombay University, with 15 subjects per cell in the dowry experiment and 13 subjects per cell in the wife‐beating experiment. Female subjects gave a stronger recommendation against marrying under the dowry condition and in favor of leaving the husband than did male subjects. The economically independent women was perceived as more likely to leave the husband than the dependent woman. Results of the wife‐beating experiment suggested greater social constraints, under some conditions, on the middle class woman as compared to upper and lower class women in India.
Is Love Seen as Different for the Obese?1
Authors: Harris Mary B.
Published: August 2006

In order to assess how actual obesity and stereotypes of obesity affect perceptions of love, 222 college students completed an anonymous questionnaire concerning their experiences with love, including the Love Attitudes Scale (LAS) of Hendrick and Hendrick (1986). They then saw a photograph of a male or female who appeared fat or normal weight and responded to an identical questionnaire as they thought the pictured person would. Subjects' obesity was unrelated to dating or marital experience, self‐esteem, or LAS subscales. However, fatter stimulus persons were judged to be less attractive, lower in self‐esteem, less likely to be dating, less Erotic, less Ludic, and more Manic on the LAS, and to deserve a fatter, uglier love partner. Gender differences were similar to those found in previous studies, with gender stereotypes generally reflecting an exaggeration of actual sex differences. These findings were consistent with the theory that obese people are stereotyped as having fewer resources to contribute to a relationship.
Group Identification, Independence, and Self‐Monitoring Characteristics as Predictors of Leaderless Group Discussion Performance1
Authors: Watson Warren E. , Behnke Ralph R.
Published: August 2006

The leaderless group discussion (LGD) has been used extensively for assessing leadership potential in a group setting. Personality measures administered prior to LGD have produced low correlations with effective LGD task behaviors in previous research. In addition to assessing characteristics of individuality and orientation to groups, factor measures (Buss, 1980) comprising the self‐monitoring construct (Snyder, 1974) were utilized. These measures of social and external environment cues explained the greatest amount of variance of the effective LGD performance measures as scored by trained raters. Subjects' orientation to groups and their reports of individuality also were found to be significant predictors of effective LGD performance. Descriptions of individuals showing the most potential in a leaderless group discussion problem‐solving situation are included.
Effects of Eyewitness Evidence on Plea‐Bargain Decisions by Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys1
Authors: McAllister Hunter A.
Published: August 2006

The present experiment tested the relative impact of two types of eyewitness evidence (identification and non identification) on plea‐bargain decisions by prosecutors and defense attorneys. A hypothetical case involving a robbery was mailed to three prosecutors and three defense attorneys in each of 47 states. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive a case in which an eyewitness claimed: (a) the defendant was the criminal (identification), (b) the defendant was not the criminal (non identification), or (c) it was not possible to tell whether the defendant was the criminal (control). Similar to findings with jurors, both prosecutors and defense attorneys underutilized the non identification information in making their plea‐bargain decisions. In the case of the prosecutors, there was evidence that the underutilization of eyewitness non identification was at least partially mediated by the prosecutors' predictions of juror reaction to the evidence.
Training for Task Performance Under Stress: The Effectiveness of Phased Training Methods
Authors: Keinan Giora , Friedland Nehemia , Sarig‐Naor Vardi
Published: August 2006

Studies on the training of individuals for task performance in stressful situations have typically considered two approaches. One approach requires that, while training on the task, trainees be exposed to stressors of a kind and intensity characteristic of the situations for which they are being trained (“high fidelity” training). Such an approach might suffer from the interference of stressors with task acquisition. Another approach allows the trainee to train on the task in a stress‐free environment or under low‐intensity stressors (“low fidelity” training). This approach leaves the trainee insufficiently prepared for task performance under stress. The present study compared these two basic approaches to three forms of “phased” training, which consisted of different combinations of three separate and distinct training phases: a phase which allows the trainee to acquire the task under stress‐ free conditions; a phase which allows him or her to passively experience the stressor; and a phase in which newly acquired skills are practiced under stress. The results showed that a phased training process which combines the first and third phases just described, is more effective than either “high fidelity” training or “low fidelity” training.
Effect of Applicant's Clothing on Interviewer's Decision to Hire
Authors: Forsythe Sandra M.
Published: August 2006

This research investigated the extent to which an applicant's clothing influenced interviewer's perceptions of management characteristics and decisions to hire women for management positions. One hundred nine respondents (from marketing and banking) viewed color videotapes of four women applicants interviewing for a management position. The applicants were wearing one of four experimental costumes which differed in masculinity. The respondents rated each applicant on five management characteristics and made hiring recommendations for each applicant. Clothing masculinity was significant in predicting the perception of all the management characteristics examined. Applicants were perceived as more forceful, aggressive and so on when wearing more masculine clothing. Applicants also received more favorable hiring recommendations when wearing more masculine clothing. The mediating effect of the respondent's gender and occupation on perception of management characteristics and hiring decisions was not significant. The findings are discussed from an integrated conceptual framework.
A Role for Prospective Longitudinal Investigations in the Study of Traumatic Stress and Disasters1
Authors: Reid John B.
Published: August 2006

Much of our knowledge concerning the short‐ and long‐term effects of traumatic stress and disasters has been developed through the study of victims and control subjects after the events have happened. There are a number of problems inherent in such a post hoc research strategy that make it difficult to isolate the specific contributions of the severe stressor itself to subsequent adjustment. Common problems include difficulty specifying baseline adjustment, necessary reliance on retrospective and sometimes monomethod data, difficulties in recruiting representative samples of victims, and convincing control groups. Many of these problems could be circumvented by the use of ongoing longitudinal and multimeasure studies of psychosocial development. This strategy would allow one to study the effects of severe and traumatic events as they happen to subjects during their participation in such studies. Systematic and mutliple measures of baseline adjustment of victims and nonvictims as well as preplanned assessments for postevent adjustment would be available. Problems involved in implementing such collaborative research ventures are reviewed, and solutions are proposed.
Consumers' Affective Response to Delays at Different Phases of a Service Delivery1
Authors: Dubé Laurette , Schmitt Bernd H , Leclerc France
Published: August 2006

A field experiment was conducted in an educational setting to investigate affective reactions occurring at different phases of the delivery of a service. An eight‐minute delay caused more negative affective reactions when it occurred either before the service started (preprocess) or after the service had terminated (postprocess) than when it occurred in the middle of the service encounter (in‐process). No differences were observed for positive affect. Field theory is proposed as a theoretical framework to account for the results, and practical applications for addressing the social problem of structuring waiting environments are discussed.
The Quality of the Social Environment at Work and Job Satisfaction1
Authors: Repetti Rena L. , Cosmas Kathryn A.
Published: August 2006

The relation between social factors at work and job satisfaction was studied by measuring two components of a social environment: a common social environment, the social climate shared by employees in the same work setting: and an individual social environment, the individual's unique social space within that setting. An analysis of questionnaire data from 299, mostly female, bank workers indicated that there is a moderate relation between the quality of the social environment at work and individual job satisfaction. This finding held even when independent judges' (i.e., coworkers') ratings were used as the measure of the common social environment. The results were also consistent with the hypothesis that job satisfaction is more strongly linked to the quality of supervisor relations than to relationships with coworkers. Contrary to expectations, the common social environment at work was a better predictor of job satisfaction than was the individual social environment, and supervisors and coworkers appeared to contribute equally to perceptions of the common environment.
Is Teenage Sexual Behavior Rational?1
Authors: Loewenstein George , Furstenberg Frank
Published: August 2006

We evaluate the applicability of a decision making framework to the teenage contraceptive and sexual behavior of 1032 Philadelphia teenagers. We examine three reasons why the decision making perspective may not apply in this domain: (a) because the decision makers are teenagers, (b) because the decision concerns sexual behavior, and (c) because the costs of contraception and abstinence are immediate and certain, while the benefits are delayed and uncertain. Using multiple regression, we examine the predictors of sexual activity and contraceptive use. We find support for the decision making model in that the variables ordinarily included in decision analyses do significantly predict behavior. But respondents seem to place disproportionate weight on some considerations, such as the discomfort of using birth control, and very little on others, such as the effectiveness of birth control or their attitude toward motherhood.
Psychosocial Impact of Tubal Ligation in Alabama Women1
Authors: Richards James M. , Kohler Connie L. , Goldenberg Robert L. , Jackson James R. , Ryan William G. , Caldwell John A.
Published: August 2006

The prevalence of female sterilization has grown rapidly throughout the world, especially in the United States. Yet the psychosocial impact of tubal ligation is incompletely understood. Most previous research has been retrospective and has lacked comparison groups of women using other birth control methods. This study used procedures developed in World Health Organization research to study the impact of voluntary tubal ligation on Alabama women. The design was prospective, included a comparison group, and called for 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups. Tubal ligation reduced follow‐up pregnancy rate and scores on a measure of fear of pregnancy. Sterilization also produced a small increase in menstrual distress but did not affect sexual satisfaction or mental health nor did it increase regrets about contraceptive choice over other methods. These results imply women attained the goals that led them to choose sterilization.
The Influence of Affirmative Action on Perceptions of a Beneficiary's Qualifications1
Authors: Summers Russel J.
Published: August 2006

Relative to females, males tended to discount the qualifications of a woman promoted into management. However, the male‐female difference was dependent upon the promoting organization's Affirmative Action environment. There were no differences between males and females when females thought that the organization promoting the woman had an Affirmative Action program in place. Under these circumstances females behaved as males in discounting the woman's qualifications. In contrast, females who thought that the organization promoting the woman was anti‐Affirmative Action augmented the woman's qualifications. The interpretation of this is that these women viewed the organization's anti‐Affirmative Action position as an inhibitory factor that could only have been overcome on the basis of the promoted woman possessing the necessary qualifications. Results are interpreted in relation to practical implications for Affirmative Action programs.
The Measurement of Self‐Esteem, Stress‐Related Life Events, and Locus of Control Among Unemployed and Employed Blue‐Collar Workers
Authors: Frost Taggart F. , Clayson Dennis E.
Published: August 2006

The purpose of this study was to measure the self‐esteem, stress of life events, and locus of control among unemployed and employed blue‐collar workers. It was hypothesized that (a) being unemployed decreases an individual's self‐esteem, (b) being unemployed increases an individual's stress level by experiencing significant life changes, and (c) being unemployed increases an individual's external locus of control orientation. The study was conducted in a production/manufacturing organization, utilizing a systematic random sampling procedure that yielded 562 subjects. The results from the collected data did not support Hypothesis A or C. A significant change with stress in conjunction with life events was found but was mediated by several factors, including age and a nonsignificant correlation between time laid‐off and stress levels. The study suggests that an individual's reaction to unemployment does not appreciably affect their self‐esteem and locus of control when compared to the employed.
Gender and Ethnic Differences in Obesity‐Related Behaviors and Attitudes In a College Sample
Authors: Harris Mary B. , Walters Laurie C. , Waschull Stefanie
Published: August 2006

This study looked at gender and Black/White differences for a number of variables related to attitudes toward obesity in a sample of 650 college students. The overall stereotypes of overweight persons were both negative and unrelated to subjects' own degree of obesity, although individuals reported that their personal views were less negative than those of others.

Women indicated greater concern with obesity than men in several ways, and the societal stereotype of an overweight woman was seen as more negative than that of an overweight man. Men were more concerned about a date's weight than women, and White women's weight (unlike that of other subgroups) was negatively related to their likelihood and frequency of dating. Although Blacks, particularly Black females, were heavier than Whites, they were more satisfied with their body shape. Black males were less likely than White males to have refused to date someone because of her weight, and Blacks personally considered overweight women to be more attractive, sexier, less ugly, and less sloppy than did Whites. The findings suggest that both gender and ethnicity should be considered when discussing people's attitudes towards obesity and the consequences of such attitudes.
Psychological Correlates of the Transmission and Acceptance of Rumors About AIDS1
Authors: Kimmel Allan J. , Keefer Robert
Published: August 2006

The present investigation was intended to identify the emotional and cognitive factors associated with the transmission and acceptance of widely disseminated misconceptions about AIDS. A rumor questionnaire listing 10 prevalent misconceptions about AIDS was completed by 229 college students. Consistent with predictions derived from current rumor theory (Rosnow, 1980, 1988), anxiety elicited by AIDS rumors was found to be the factor most strongly related to rumor transmission. The subjects who reported having changed their behavior as a result of the AIDS crisis also were likely to transmit AIDS rumors. Regression analysis revealed that, together, personal anxiety elicited by specific rumors and behavior change represented the strongest predictors of AIDS rumor transmission (R2= .24, p < .0001). Anxiety‐provoking rumors perceived as important and personally consequential were most likely to be believed (R2= .56, p < .0001). A minority of subjects (12%) reported behavior changes that actually reduce the risk of AIDS. Implications of this research for AIDS public education campaigns are discussed.
Judgment Processes Relevant to Drunk Driving1
Authors: Turrisi Robert , Jaccard James
Published: August 2006

The present study uses psychological theories of judgment and decision making in analyzing cognitions relevant to drunk driving decisions. Four groups of individuals were examined: (a) those having multiple convictions for drunk driving, (b) those having one conviction for drunk driving, (c) those never having been convicted of drunk driving but, who admit to having driven while intoxicated, and (d) those who drive, but claim to not have driven while intoxicated. Cognitions examined included perceived drunkenness relative to legally allowable blood alcohol levels for driving, perceived probabilities for being stopped and arrested and being involved in an automobile accident if driving drunk, and drunk driving tendencies. Perceived probabilities of being stopped and arrested and being involved in an accident were evaluated as a function of manipulations of 4 cues in a 2 × 2 × 4 × 3 factorial design (Distance to Destination × Weather and Road Conditions × Number of Drinks × Time to Consume). Perceived drunkenness was evaluated as a function of the manipulations of two cues in a 4 × 3 factorial design (Number of Drinks Consumed × Time to Consume). Results indicated the presence of several misperceptions and inappropriate response tendencies that potentially can be modified with educational efforts. These results are discussed in terms of the differential impact of previous arrest for DWI on different DWI‐related judgments.
Listening to Different Voices: Formation of Sanction Beliefs and Taxpaying Norms1
Authors: Stalans Loretta J. , Kinsey Karyl A. , Smith Kent W.
Published: August 2006

How do people form beliefs about sanctions and norms toward the legal system? Using data from a telephone survey with 1,200 Minnesota adult residents, we examine how income sources that provide an opportunity to avoid official detection shape the amount and sources of communication about IRS enforcement effectiveness. Individuals with economic exchanges that provide the opportunity to cheat without detection received significantly more information about tax issues and IRS enforcement, especially from co‐workers. Although both family members and co‐workers were major sources of tax information, individuals received more information about IRS enforcement effectiveness from co‐workers than from family members. Communication with co‐workers lowered the perceived likelihood of IRS detections for overstating deductions, lowered the perceived severity of informal sanctions for tax cheatings, and lowered the perceived fairness of tax laws and positive personal norms toward compliance with tax laws. In contrast, communication with family members enhanced the perceived fairness of tax laws and positive personal norms toward compliance with tax laws. These findings are interpreted in the framework of social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954). We discuss implications for the theory and research on the development of beliefs about enforcement systems and compliance with laws.
Self‐Efficacy, Perceptions of Success, and Intrinsic Motivation for Exercise1
Authors: McAuley Edward , Wraith Susan , Duncan Terry E.
Published: August 2006

A number of investigators have attempted to identify the determinants of continued participation in exercise regimens. Within a social cognitive framework, the present study examined the relationships among self‐efficacy cognitions, perceptions of success, and multidimensional intrinsic motivation in the exercise domain. Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that highly efficacious individuals were more intrinsically motivated toward aerobic dance than were their less efficacious counterparts. However, multiple regression analyses revealed both perceptions of success and self‐efficacy to account for significant variance in intrinsic motivation at both the composite and dimensional levels. Moreover, perceptions of success were considerably stronger predictors than were efficacy cognitions. The results are discussed in terms of the need for multiple measures of perceived success, the employment of longitudinal designs to determine the direction of causality among these variables, and possible implications for adherence issues.
Sex Differences in Stereotypes of Spectacles1
Authors: Harris Mary B.
Published: August 2006

Sex differences in the stereotype of eyeglasses were investigated via a three‐part questionnaire administered to 217 adults. In the first part, subjects viewed one of five males or five females wearing glasses or not and rated this individual on a number of descriptors as well as guessing his or her three favorite pastimes. In the second part male and female subjects with and without glasses were compared on self‐evaluations of the same descriptors and activities. They also responded to open‐ended questions concerning their reasons for using spectacles and contact lenses and the effects of these visual correctives on their self‐perceptions and the perceptions of others. In the third part subjects evaluated a typical woman and a typical man with glasses on the same descriptors.

These three methods of identifying sex differences in stereotypes of eyeglasses produced somewhat conflicting results. Photographs with glasses were judged as less attractive and sexy, but males considered the typical woman with glasses as sexier and more attractive than the typical woman without glasses. Generally, people with glasses were considered to be more intelligent and intense, and the stereotypes of the typical woman and man with glasses were highly positive. Women with glasses were viewed as more feminine and men with glasses as more masculine. Although wearing glasses affected the self‐concept of females more than males, there was little evidence that they experienced a more negative “spectacle image” than males.