bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between-Group Differences and Taxometrics
Authors: Hidegkuti István , De Boeck Paul
Published: February 2008

In psychological research it can be of interest to differentiate between the categorical (taxonic) vs dimensional (nontaxonic) nature of phenomena, for example in the field of psychopathology. For categorical (taxonic) structures a further differentiation is possible: between categorical structures with dimensional equivalence and a substantial main effect, and structures without dimensional equivalence (independent of the main effect). Previous taxometric studies have not concentrated in an explicit way on the case of nonequivalence. It is shown here that under favorable circumstances both types of categorical structures can be detected using the taxometric procedure L-Mode, but that they cannot be differentiated from one another.
Self-Perception of the Antecedents of Loneliness among New Mothers and Pregnant Women
Authors: Rokach Ami
Published: February 2008

This study examined the perceived causes of loneliness of pregnant women and mothers during the first year after childbirth experience. These were compared with the causes of loneliness of women in the general population. 91 pregnant women, 97 women during the first year following childbirth, and 208 women from the general population ( M age = 30.4, SD=10.4) answered a 29-item Loneliness Antecedents Questionnaire. In the questionnaire were 5 dimensions of sources of loneliness, namely, Personal Inadequacies, Developmental Deficits, Unfulfilling Intimate Relationships, Relocation/Significant Separation, and Social Marginality. Sources of loneliness were significantly different amongst the three groups. The differences were confined to the Personal Inadequacies, and the Relocation/Significant Separation subscales. In both, women from the general population had the highest mean subscale scores.
Correlations among Executive Function Scales and Positive Psychological Attributes in College Students
Authors: Miley William M. , Spinella Marcello
Published: February 2008

Scores on executive function scales were correlated with scores on attributes of positive psychology. Values were positive among gratitude, satisfaction, and the executive function scales of motivational drive, empathy, and strategic planning. If replicated and extended, such data may predict academic success in college students as in 13- to 14-yr.-olds.
On Measuring Time Metaphors
Authors: Sobol-Kwapinska Malgorzata , Oles Piotr K.
Published: February 2008

Referring to the 2005 article by Wittmann and Lehnhoff, the problem of using time metaphors for measuring awareness of time is posed. Starting from clarification of meaning, the Metaphors Slowness scale which was not homogeneous, an alternative interpretation of the result was proposed, given that metaphors refer to two separate aspects of time speed, an ongoing passage of time, and ex post reflection on passage of time that has already passed. The former refers to the judgment of an ongoing passage of time, and the latter to the judgment of passage of past time from a particular point in the past till now. Time perception is multifaceted and perhaps ambiguous. This particular aspect of time perception is covered by a notion of a “dialectical time,” when opposite aspects of time are combined, e.g., pleasant and unpleasant ones.
Eyewitness Misidentification: Single vs Double-Blind Comparison of Photospread Administration
Authors: Perlini Arthur H. , Silvaggio Andrew D.
Published: February 2008

Interactive effects of photospread procedures (blind administration or has knowledge of suspect identity) and presentation techniques (sequential or simultaneous photospreads) on false eyewitness identification rates were examined. Of 117 subjects (57 men and 60 women), 87 served as a witness sample and 30 as a photospread administrator sample. Witnesses viewed a 20-sec. mock robbery video prior to viewing a photospread of six photographs either simultaneously or sequentially. Half of the administrators, prior to displaying the photospreads, were made aware of the photograph of the designated suspect (single-blind condition). Consistent with previous findings, sequential presentation was associated with both lower overall false identification rates as well as lower suspect designated-misidentification rates. In each case, there was evidence that administrators' knowledge increased false identification rates more in simultaneous than in sequential presentation conditions. Implications for administrations by police investigators are discussed.
Naloxone Decreases Responding for Conditioned Reinforcement in Rats
Authors: Rudski Jeffrey
Published: February 2008

That opioids can mediate unconditioned reinforcement is well established, but there is little evidence indicating whether they modify conditioned reinforcement. Here, a tone which initially served as a discriminative stimulus for the availability of water reinforcement was established as a conditioned stimulus. When later given a choice between pressing a lever producing the tone (but not water) or one which produced no effect, rats chose the tone-producing lever 66% of the time. Naloxone (3.0 mg/kg) reduced overall responding and completely eliminated the preference for the tone-producing lever. Results are briefly discussed in terms of the importance of understanding mechanisms serving conditioned reinforcement.
Personality in Domestic Cats
Authors: Lee Christina M. , Ryan Joseph J. , Kreiner David S.
Published: February 2008

Personality ratings of 196 cats were made by their owners using a 5-point Likert scale anchored by 1: not at all and 5: a great deal with 12 items: timid, friendly, curious, sociable, obedient, clever, protective, active, independent, aggressive, bad-tempered, and emotional. A principal components analysis with varimax rotation identified three intepretable components. Component I had high loadings by active, clever, curious, and sociable. Component II had high loadings by emotional, friendly, and protective, Component III by aggressive and bad-tempered, and Component IV by timid. Sex was not associated with any component, but age showed a weak negative correlation with Component I. Older animals were rated less social and curious than younger animals.
Importance of Goal Setting in Virtual Project Teams
Authors: Forester Gerald L. , Thorns Peg , Pinto Jeffrey K.
Published: February 2008

This research investigated goal setting on engineering teams with geographically dispersed members. A survey was designed to measure the Quality of Goal Setting, Goal Commitment, Perceived Task Outcomes, and Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes, all constructs and scales used in previous research on project teams. 82 respondents from 12 virtual teams participated. Analysis suggested the quality of goal setting affected Perceived Task Outcome ( t = 2.40, p<.05) but not Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes. Further regression analysis indicated goal commitment predicted significant variance in both Perceived Task Outcomes ( t = 2.35, p<.05) and Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes ( t = 4.3, p<.01). These results suggest that setting high quality goals and building commitment to goals significantly affect perceptions of outcomes on virtual project teams.
Effects of Delay on Color Priming for Natural Objects
Authors: Vernon David , Lloyd-Jones Toby J.
Published: February 2008

Using a standard study-test procedure, color priming was examined through effects of color transformation, from correctly colored to incorrectly colored and vice versa, for natural objects with pre-existing color-shape associations, e.g., yellow banana. More specifically these effects were examined at study-test delays of 0, 24, and 48 hr. When deciding whether an object was correctly colored, color transformation eliminated priming. Furthermore, there was evidence that for objects that were not transformed, priming was stronger for correctly as compared with incorrectly colored objects. In addition, the introduction of 24- and 48-hr. delays between the study and the test phase of the task reduced the effects of color transformation on priming. These findings are discussed in terms of the representations that mediate implicit memory performance.
Lifestyle Behaviors and Mental Health of American Adults
Authors: Chaney Elizabeth H. , Chaney J. Don , Wang Min Qi , Eddy James M.
Published: February 2008

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that individuals reporting healthy lifestyle behaviors would also report better self-rated mental health. Logistic regression analyses were conducted utilizing SUDAAN on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data set. This descriptive analysis suggests that persons reporting poor mental health were more likely to report unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. This set of findings encourages careful design of experimental studies of empirically based associations of mental health and life style, using psychometrically sound measures. Then public health programs focused on change of health-related behaviors might be more suitably devised.
Can Cigarette Warnings Counterbalance Effects of Smoking Scenes in Movies?
Authors: Golmier Isabelle , Chebat Jean-Charles , Gélinas-Chebat Claire
Published: February 2008

Scenes in movies where smoking occurs have been empirically shown to influence teenagers to smoke cigarettes. The capacity of a Canadian warning label on cigarette packages to decrease the effects of smoking scenes in popular movies has been investigated. A 2 × 3 factorial design was used to test the effects of the same movie scene with or without electronic manipulation of all elements related to smoking, and cigarette pack warnings, i.e., no warning, text-only warning, and text + picture warning. Smoking-related stereotypes and intent to smoke of teenagers were measured. It was found that, in the absence of warning, and in the presence of smoking scenes, teenagers showed positive smoking-related stereotypes. However, these effects were not observed if the teenagers were first exposed to a picture and text warning. Also, smoking-related stereotypes mediated the relationship of the combined presentation of a text and picture warning and a smoking scene on teenagers' intent to smoke. Effectiveness of Canadian warning labels to prevent or to decrease cigarette smoking among teenagers is discussed, and areas of research are proposed.
Who Buys Textbooks Online: A Replication
Authors: Lester David , Yang Bijou
Published: February 2008

In a study of 71 students, computer anxiety and computer/Internet skills predicted whether they purchased textbooks online.
Are Complex Psychotherapies More Effective than Biofeedback, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, or Both? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Stevens Sean E. , Hynan Michael T. , Allen Mike , Braun Michelle M. , McCart Michael R.
Published: February 2008

A meta-analysis of 26 studies was conducted to assess whether more complex forms of psychotherapy would be superior to control treatments of either biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, or both. Consistent with hypotheses, more complex treatments provided a small, significant improvement over biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation ( r = .09). A subset of the more complex behavioral treatments accounted for most of this small incremental effectiveness of more complex treatments ( r = .15). Possible sources of this incremental effectiveness are discussed.
Are Police Officers More Likely to Kill African-American Suspects?
Authors: Kleck Gary
Published: February 2008

In recent psychological research decisions by police officers to shoot criminal suspects are often assumed to be racially biased, and it is concluded that officers are more likely to shoot African-American suspects. This assumption was tested with national data on persons killed during legal interventions and with data bearing on the African-American proportion of criminal suspects law enforcement officers face. Analysis indicates that the African-American share of persons killed by law enforcement officers, while higher than the African-American percentage of the U.S. population, is lower than one would expect based on the estimated African-American proportion of suspects confronted in violent encounters or the African-American percentage of suspects who kill police officers.
Attitudes of University Students towards People with Paranoid Schizophrenia
Authors: Rivera Carmen Senra , Rossetto Alexandra De Arriba , Pesqueira Gloria Seoane , Otero M. José Eerraces
Published: February 2008

To study attitudes towards persons with paranoid schizophrenia of first- and final-year university students taking three different majors, Link's Social Distance Scale, modified to relate to several vignettes presenting different descriptions of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia, was administered to 617 university students ages 18 to 29 years ( M = 21.1, SD = 2.6). 423 were women and 194 men. Analysis indicates fourth year psychology majors reported the greatest acceptance of persons with paranoid schizophrenia. The most efficient vignette in diminishing rejection of the portrayed patient included information on the patient's psychosocial rehabilitation status. University students' attitudes appear to vary with the training they receive and the kind of information they have about the patient.
Reliability and Validity of Job Content Questionnaire in Chinese Petrochemical Employees
Authors: Li Wei , Sun Jing , Zhang Jun-Quan , Tan Pei-Fang , Wang Sheng
Published: February 2008

To evaluate psychometric properties the Chinese (mainland) version of the 30-item Job Content Questionnaire was administered to 889 employees in 4 industries of PetroChina. A retest at 3 months with 296 randomly chosen employees showed reliabilities ranged from .76 to .93. Cronbach coefficients alpha for the 8 dimensions ranged from .43 to .88, indicating that the Job Insecurity subscale had low internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis showed 8 meaningful factors corresponding to the 8 theoretical dimensions of this questionnaire. This version has variable a but suitable retest to be a reliable and valid measure of job strain, applicable to the Chinese industrial working population of PetroChina.
Content Validity of the Visual Similes Test II
Authors: Woods-Groves Suzanne , Eaves Ronald C. , Williams Thomas O.
Published: February 2008

This study examined the content validity of the Visual Similes Test II, designed to measure affective and cognitive arousal in individuals 5 to 21 years of age. The 54 participants were asked to rate the affective and cognitive content of un-occluded stimuli from the Visual Similes Test II. The participants, whose mean age was 27.0 yr. ( SD = 8.6), included 1 (2%) man and 53 (98%) women who were enrolled in undergraduate and graduate special education courses. Paired-sample t tests comparing the affective and cognitive ratings for each item were significant for 53 of the 55 stimuli. The mean effect size (Cohen d) was 1.49 (range=.08 to 1.9).
Some Correlates of Subjective Life Expectancy
Authors: Lester David , Abdel-Khalek Ahmed
Published: February 2008

In samples of 193 American and 209 Kuwaiti college students, the correlates of subjective life expectancy differed in the two countries, a Tao orientation and existential anxiety in the American students and death anxiety in the Kuwaiti students.
Important Criteria for Spouse Selection in a Sample of Iranian Youth
Authors: Samani S.
Published: February 2008

The aim was to study important criteria for spouse selection by a sample of Iranian youth, 110 Iranian university students (60 women and 50 men; M age = 21.7 yr., SD=1.5). Participants were single. Face-to-face interviews indicated that the order of the first 10 important criteria for the women were chastity, virtuous, religion, education, family characteristics, financial resources, job, commitment, social skills, and social prestige; for the men these were physical appearance, chastity, education, family characteristics, virtuous, religion, personality traits, social skills, housekeeping, and commitment and financial resources.
Exploration of Thalbourne's Manic-Experience Scale
Authors: Lester David
Published: February 2008

The reliability of a 19-item scale to measure manic experience was explored in 138 undergraduates. Cronbach alpha was .77, and five factors were identified, indicating heterogeneity in the items.
An Empirical Study of Some Demographic and Work-Related Variables on Job Satisfaction of Academics in a Turkish University
Authors: Tanova Cem , Nadiri Halil
Published: February 2008

The Job Satisfaction Survey was administered to 610 faculty in a university in North Cyprus. As expected, job satisfaction increased with rank, and those who held administrative positions were more satisfied than staff who did not. The longer the participants had served in the current university, the higher their rated job satisfaction. Job satisfaction of women in higher academic positions was higher than that of their male peers. Age was not correlated with increases in job satisfaction.
Social Support at University Scale, a Brief Index
Authors: Hughes Brian M.
Published: February 2008

A brief, 3-item index of social support among college students, the Social Support at University Scale, is introduced. Its psychometric properties are examined in a sample of 90 college students (51 women, 39 men) and compared with those of an equivalent scale distributed among 100 university staff (67 women, 33 men). The Short-Form Social Support Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were also administered to each participant. The data suggest that the Social Support at University Scale possesses internal consistency reliability suitable for research (α= .68), external validity as indicated by comparisons between the student and staff samples, concurrent validity as indicated by correlations with measures of generic social support, and criterion validity as indicated by associations with known correlates of social support, namely, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression.
Sense of Authenticity, Affectivity, and Cultural Construal of the Self among Japanese University Students
Authors: Ito Masaya , Kodama Masahiro
Published: February 2008

This study examined the relationship between the sense of authenticity and affectivity, which is under the control of the cultural construal of the self. Japanese university students ( N = 287) rated themselves on the Sense of Authenticity Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Scale for Independent and Interdependent Construal of the Self. Analysis indicated that the Sense of Authenticity increased Positive Affect and decreased Negative Affect, regardless of the scores on Independent and Interdependent Self-construal.
Japanese Children's Development of False Belief Understanding
Authors: Ohtsubo Yohsuke
Published: February 2008

Two studies were conducted to examine the Japanese children's false belief understanding. Study 1, a small-scale meta-analysis that included 21 Japanese false belief studies yielding 60 data points, revealed that the Japanese children's false belief understanding develops with age (effect size = 2.48 in odds ratio for 1 year), the Japanese children's performance exceeds the chance level at the age of 64 months, and question type (think vs look-for) produced no statistically significant difference. An experiment (Study 2) employing a change-of-locations task was conducted to confirm these findings, manipulating question type as a within-participant factor. Participants were 43 Japanese kindergartners (24 boys and 19 girls; 3 yr. 4 mo. to 6 yr. 1 mo.). The results showed that Japanese children's false belief performance developed with age. Their performance level exceeded the chance level at the age of 5 years, and question type did not affect their performance.
Relations of Low Frustration Tolerance Beliefs with Stress, Depression, and Anxiety in Young Adolescents
Authors: Mahon Noreen E. , Yarcheski Adela , Yarcheski Thomas J. , Hanks Michele M.
Published: February 2008

Young adolescents ( N=144; 66 boys, 78 girls), ages 12 to 14 years ( M=12.2, SD = .8), who reported lower scores on the Low Frustration Tolerance Beliefs instrument had higher scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the Profile of Mood States Subscales of Depression and Anxiety.
A Note on Permutation Tests of Significance for Multiple Regression Coefficients
Authors: Long Michael A. , Berry Kenneth J. , Mielke Paul W.
Published: February 2008

In the vast majority of psychological research utilizing multiple regression analysis, asymptotic probability values are reported. This paper demonstrates that asymptotic estimates of standard errors provided by multiple regression are not always accurate. A resampling permutation procedure is used to estimate the standard errors. In some cases the results differ substantially from the traditional least squares regression estimates.
Mental Health of Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tehran
Authors: Shariati Mohammad , Yunesian Masud , Vash Javad Homayoun
Published: February 2008

Medical students are subject to stress from sources related to medical training in addition to personal problems, resulting in significant mental distress. This study evaluates the scope of the problem in Tehran medical schools and sheds light on some of its associations. Students (604) of medicine from four medical schools in the city of Tehran responded to the Persian version of 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) in conjunction with a data collection sheet asking about age, sex, marital status, current training level, living place, grade point average in previous semester, and perceptions of their financial status. Of 602 students, 40.7% had mental distress (45.7% of female and 36.7% of male students). Distress was associated with being a woman (female to male odds ratio: 1.55) and very poor financial status (OR: 18.0).
Preliminary Examination of Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Specific Interpersonal Trust Scale
Authors: Lee Sook-Jeong
Published: February 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Specific Interpersonal Trust scale of Johnson-George and Swap in Korean samples as a part of the process of providing an exemplary tool for intercultural studies of trust. A translated version of the original scale was administered to 337 university students (157 males, 180 females) in Seoul, Korea. Data were subjected to a principal components analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis. In principal components analysis for the Korean sample ( n = 167), three factors were identified and labeled: Overall Trust (Cronbach α=.89), Emotional Trust (Cronbach α = .88), and Reliableness (Cronbach α=.84). A confirmatory factor analysis ( n=170) showed that the three-factor model was valid for the sample (χ2/ df= 1.78, RMR=.06, RMSEA = .07, TLI=.92, CFI=.93). Internal consistency reliability and factorial validity were satisfactory in the case of the Korean sample. The Korean version of the Specific Interpersonal Trust Scale made good use of three factors of trust and appeared to be valid without sex differences, while the original scale distinguished the Males subscale from the Females subscale. Implications and limitations of this study were discussed.
Effectiveness of Nursing Counseling on Coping and Depression in Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization
Authors: Gürhan Nermin , Akyüz Aygül , Oflaz Fahriye , Atici Derya , Vural Gulsen
Published: February 2008

The purpose of present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling provided by nurses on depression and coping strategies of infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization ( N = 67). Of the 84 women who were interviewed, 30 were accepted as a comparison group, and 37 were included in the study group. The study group women were given counseling in addition to routine nursing care services, including group education and individual interviews about treatment and coping strategies. The nurses also provided support by accompanying the women during the invasive procedures. The Beck Depression Inventory and Jalowiec's Coping Strategies Form were used for measurements. All the women were using emotional coping and had moderate depression prior to the study. There was no statistically significant difference between the comparison and study groups before or after the counseling with respect to depression and coping strategies. Parameters to evaluate the efficacy of counseling are discussed.
The Hopelessness Scale: A Factor Analysis
Authors: Pompili Maurizio , Tatarelli Roberto , Rogers James R. , Lester David
Published: February 2008

A confirmatory factor analysis of the Beck Hopelessness Scale in a sample of 340 Italian students did not support the 3-factor model reported for previous samples of psychiatric patients. A follow-up principal axis factor analysis yielded two interpretable correlated factors, suggesting that the structure of the scale may differ across clinical and nonclinical groups and as a function of nationality.
Cheating on College Examinations
Authors: da Rocha Marina Monzani , da Silva Gabriela Andrade , Nascimento Leandro , Siqueira José de Oliveira , Otta Emma
Published: February 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of contexts on cheating attitudes and behavior among Brazilian undergraduates. Participants were 77 Previous Choice Engineering and 70 Late Choice Engineering students. Previous Choice students enter the desired field chosen by examination, whereas Late Choice students' grades during the two first college years give them preference to choose the field. Their self-reported attitudes and behaviors were compared with those of 82 chemistry undergraduates from two universities (UNI-C and USP-C). The Late Choice students reported significant negative opinion about cheating, whereas Previous Choice students, especially women, reported significant favorable opinion. Furthermore, Previous Choice students reported colleagues more frequently gave them answers on examinations than Late Choice students. The two university groups in chemistry had intermediate scores. Deterrents of cheating strongly embedded in the student culture were found among Late Choice engineering undergraduates which may be explained by social learning theory.
Japanese College Students' Attitudes toward Professional Psychological Services: The Role of Cultural Self-Construal and Self-Concealment
Authors: Omori Mika
Published: February 2008

The utilization of professional help is affected by individual factors such as help-seeking attitudes and self-concealment as well as the availability of mental health services. The present study examined the role of cultural self-construal and self-concealment on attitudes toward professional psychological services. A survey was conducted with 214 Japanese college students. Multiple regression analyses found that interdependent self-construal significantly predicted the Recognition of Need for Psychological Services. Self-concealment was predictive of two different facets of help-seeking attitudes: Interpersonal Openness and Stigma Tolerance. Future studies are recommended to refine the model that was tested.
Barriers to Use of Mental Health Services by Japanese University Students
Authors: Sasaki Megumi
Published: February 2008

The present cross-sectional study assessed the attitude of Japanese undergraduates towards mental health services and investigated whether mental distress is associated with reluctance to use, and a decreased perceived need for, mental health services. A convenience sample of 194 students (98 men and 96 women) completed the 28-item Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire and questions regarding reluctance to use and perceived need for mental health services. Participants were in the second to fourth years of undergraduate work and their majors were psychology and technology. Analyses showed that approximately 70% of students were reluctant to use mental health services and this reluctance was less in the group scoring high on anxiety and insomnia than the group scoring lower. Also, perceived need for mental health services was higher for those scoring high on depression. There were some discrepancies in the results and previous studies. Implications of these findings for clinical and preventive practice and for direction for research are discussed.
Prison Rioters: Exploring Infraction Characteristics, Risk Factors, Social Correlates, and Criminal Careers
Authors: Graeve Christine M. , DeLisi Matt , Hochstetler Andy
Published: February 2008

Investigation of individual inmates' characteristics are almost entirely absent from research of prison riots. The current study sought to fill this void using official infraction records and prison dossiers of 831 male inmates selected from the southwestern USA. Logistic regression models indicated that inmates who were cited for criminal infractions, such as theft, possession of weapons or drugs, threatening staff, and social risk factors were significantly more likely to engage in prison rioting. In fact, the model which contained criminal career, demographic information, infraction, and other social risk factors explained 40% of the variation in prison rioting. Suggestions for research on prison riots that included inmates' criminal history and characteristics of infraction are offered.
Improving Sensitivity of the Recognition Task in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale
Authors: Kinjo Hikari
Published: February 2008

This paper presents an alternative measure for scoring the recognition memory task in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS), which is one of the most common screening tests. Memory studies routinely take into account not only correct responses to old items (Hits) but also incorrect responses to new items (False Alarms). Here, a bias-corrected measure of recognition memory, Hits minus False Alarms (called Pr), is computed and its significance evaluated against the original measure, Hits. 28 male and 40 female healthy elderly people ( M age = 68.5 yr., SD = 3.5) recruited from the neighborhood community participated in this study. Multiple stepwise regression analyses first with Hit Rate then False Alarm Rate showed that False Alarm Rate significantly improved R2 in the two subscale scores of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised and scores of the Mini-Mental State Exam. Thus, this new measure taking into account false responses may be more sensitive and useful to detect early stages of cognitive dysfunction.
Decision Difficulty and Illusion of Transparency in Japanese University Students
Authors: Endo Yumi
Published: February 2008

People tend to believe that their inner thoughts are readily apparent to others. This study was conducted to examine effects, related to the difficulty of making decisions of personal preference, on the illusion of transparency, that is, the tendency people have to regard their own preference as more apparent to others when they have made their decision easily as opposed to situations in which they felt their decision to be difficult. In three studies in which the customary “transparency” experimental paradigm was used, university students were asked to rank choices of wedding dresses (Studies 1 and 3) or Korean movie stars (Study 2). Analysis suggested that the less difficulty participants felt in making their judgments (the first and last preference vs mid-ranking preference), the more they expected judgments to be transparent, especially when they had the clear intent to convey their thoughts to others. However, observers discerned first preferences no better than mid-ranking preferences. How inner subjective information contributes to the illusion of transparency is also discussed.
The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory: Psychometric Properties in a Spanish Sample
Authors: Baños R. M. , Botella C. , Quero S. , Medina P.
Published: February 2008

This study is a validation of the Spanish version of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory using a nonclinical sample (198 participants) and a clinical sample (72 participants with social phobia). The factor structure and concurrent validity with Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Avoidance and Distress scales were analyzed. The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory demonstrated good concurrent validity, showing statistically significant relationships with Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Avoidance and Distress. Results confirmed the rationale for the division of the SPAI into two subscales. Results also demonstrated the utility of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for differentiating between a nonclinical sample and participants with a social phobia, and its adequate reliability.
Relationship of Self-Reported Mysticism with Depression and Anxiety in Iranian Muslims
Authors: Ghorbani Nima , Watson P. J. , Rostami Reza
Published: February 2008

This study examined relationships of self-reported Mysticism with dispositional Depression and Anxiety in Iranian Muslims. The sample contained 80 women and 51 men undergraduates who volunteered to participate ( M age = 20.5 yr., SD = 2.0). Participants responded to the Hood Mysticism Scale and to the Costello and Comrey Depression and Anxiety Scales. Scores on the Religious Interpretation dimension of mystical experience correlated negatively with those on Depression, explained a similar relationship observed for Extrovertive Mysticism, and moderated the otherwise positive relationship between Introvertive Mysticism and Anxiety. Moderation occurred when Introvertive Mysticism correlated negatively rather than positively with Anxiety in those who scored high on Religious Interpretation and very high on the Introvertive factor. These data suggested possibilities for reconciling conflicts that have appeared between philosophical interpretations of Introvertive Mysticism and previous self-report data.
The Situational Outlook Questionnaire: Assessing the Context for Change
Authors: Isaksen Scott G.
Published: February 2008

The Situational Outlook Questionnaire has been in use for many years as an assessment of the climate that supports change, innovation, and creativity. This study reports the descriptive statistics, internal consistency, factor structure, and other psychometric results from a sample of 4,730 respondents. Further areas for improvement of the questionnaire and assessment approach are identified.
Assertiveness and Aggressiveness as Potential Moderators of Verbal Behaviors following Unsatisfactory Service
Authors: Swanson Scott R.
Published: February 2008

This research is an extension of earlier studies that examined Assertiveness and Aggressiveness as potential moderators of verbal intentions. A sample of 127 women and 137 men participated in the survey which used random residential telephone numbers. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 71 years ( M = 33.2, SD= 12.4), with men making up 51.9% of the total sample. Those respondents classified as having an Aggressive interaction style were least likely to have discussed their unsatisfactory service encounters. The nature of the verbal communications was negative for all four interaction styles investigated. Similar to previous findings, men and women were equally Assertive, but men were more likely to be Aggressive when engaging in marketplace interactions.
Mathematics Beliefs and Instructional Strategies in Achievement of Elementary-School Students in Japan: Results from the TIMSS 2003 Assessment
Authors: House J. Daniel
Published: February 2008

Recent findings concerning mathematics assessment indicate that students in Japan consistently score above international averages. Researchers have examined specific mathematics beliefs and instructional strategies associated with mathematics achievement for students in Japan. This study examined relationships among self-beliefs, classroom instructional strategies, and mathematics achievement for a large national sample of students ( N = 4,207) from the TIMSS 2003 international sample of fourth graders in Japan. Several significant relationships between mathematics beliefs and test scores were found; a number of classroom teaching strategies were also significantly associated with test scores. However, multiple regression using the complete set of five mathematics beliefs and five instructional strategies explained only 25.1% of the variance in mathematics achievement test scores.
Regarding Some Short Forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale
Authors: Strahan Robert F.
Published: February 2008

A program of Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale research is described, focusing on the distinction between positively keyed and negatively keyed items. Balanced short forms exist for the measurement of an overall social desirability construct, but evidence suggests the use as well of separate subscales. These subscales are seen to correlate differentially with the substantive personality variable neuroticism, with content-free measures of semantic style, and with self-peer agreement. A simple procedure for the concomitant measurement of possible tendency to acquiesce is also described.
Psychopathic Traits in Nursing and Criminal Justice Majors: A Pilot Study
Authors: Clow Kimberley A. , Scott Hannah S.
Published: February 2008

Prior findings suggest presence of psychopathic personality traits may be prevalent outside of the criminal sphere, such as in the business world. It is possible that particular work environments are attractive to individuals with higher psychopathic personality traits. To test this hypothesis, the current study investigated whether psychopathic personality scores could predict students' choices between two university majors, criminal justice or nursing ( N= 174; 53 men, 121 women). Nursing education espouses nurturance and care, while criminal justice education teaches students informal and formal social control. Given these two educational mandates, it was predicted that students who scored higher on a scale of psychopathy would tend to enter criminal justice rather than nursing. Using logistic regression, results showed students with higher overall scores on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory, specifically higher scores on the subscale Machiavellian Egocentricity, were more likely to have chosen to major in criminal justice than nursing. Effects were generally weak but significant, accounting for between 5% to 25% of the variance in choice of major. Furthermore, this finding was not due to sex differences.
Body Image Satisfaction and Anxiety of a Turkish Sample of University Students with Skin Diseases
Authors: Kaymak Yeşim , Ulutaş İlkay , Taner Ender , Bakir Bilal , Şimşek Işil
Published: February 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate perception of body image and anxiety of 221 university students presenting to the dermatology outpatient clinic with a skin disease and 205 students without skin disease. Analysis of anxiety and body image scores yielded differences by sex and age in both groups. The group with skin disease had lower scores on body image. Acne vulgaris seems to be the most disturbing among the skin diseases, and this was more prominent in younger patients.
Deductive Reasoning and Creativity: A Cross-Cultural Study
Authors: Niu Weihua , Zhang John X. , Yang Yingrui
Published: February 2008

The present cross-cultural study examined the relationship between deductive reasoning and creativity among college students ( M age = 20.4 yr., SD=.6) from Hong Kong ( n = 39) and the United States ( n = 38). Participants performed tasks designed to measure deductive reasoning, creative writing, and insight problem-solving, all in verbal form. No correlation was found between the performance for deductive reasoning and creativity as measured by creative writing. Insight problem-solving performance correlated significantly with that for both reasoning and creativity. Significant cultural differences favoring the American participants were only found on the creative writing and insight problem-solving tasks, both of which supposedly involve creative thinking. There seems to be cultural dependence for creativity but not for deductive reasoning which suggests a qualification of a strong cultural-relevance view positing pervasive cultural influences on human thinking processes.
Effort-Reward Imbalance, Overcommitment, and Psychological Distress in Canadian Police Officers
Authors: Janzen B. L. , Muhajarine Nazeem , Zhu Tong , Kelly I. W.
Published: February 2008

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship among Effort, Reward, and Overcommitment dimensions of Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance Model and Psychological Distress in a sample of 78 Canadian police officers. Ages of respondents ranged between 24 and 56 years ( M = 36.1, SD=8.0). 30% of respondents had been in policing for 16 years or more, 24% between 6 and 15 years, and 44% for 5 years or less. Ordinary least-squares regression was used to evaluate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. After adjusting for age, sex, education, and marital status, higher levels of Effort-Reward Imbalance and Overcommitment were associated with greater Psychological Distress. Present findings support the utility of the model in this particular occupational group and add to the increasing literature suggesting association of Effort-Reward Imbalance, Overcommitment, and reduced mental health.
Qualitative Analysis of Experiences of Members of a Psychoeducational Assertiveness Group
Authors: Argyrakouli Effi , Zafiropoulou Maria
Published: February 2008

This study describes qualitatively a psychoeducational assertiveness intervention for 20 women's perceptions of positive and negative experiences, undertaken to identify whether therapeutic mechanisms operating in group therapy as described by Yalom might be inferred. There were 14 90-min. weekly sessions organized around educational material. Two groups were conducted with 10 university women each ( M = 20.9 yr., SD= 1.9). Qualitative analysis of the 20 interviews identified five of Yalom's therapeutic mechanisms, namely, self-understanding, universality, acceptance, catharsis, and self-disclosure. The positive experiences were group cohesiveness, self-understanding, self-disclosure, positive views about the self and learning, and cognitive benefits. Self-disclosing at the early stages of group development was the most frequently reported negative experience or difficulty in the group. Although participants stated they improved interpersonal communication skills, analysis suggested the cultural context was an important mediator of assertive behavior.
Does Wechsler Intelligence Scale Administration and Scoring Proficiency Improve during Assessment Training?
Authors: Platt Tyson L. , Zachar Peter , Ray Glen E. , Underhill Andrea T. , LoBello Steven G.
Published: February 2008

Studies have found that Wechsler scale administration and scoring proficiency is not easily attained during graduate training. These findings may be related to methodological issues. Using a single-group repeated measures design, this study documents statistically significant, though modest, error reduction on the WAIS-III and WISC-III during a graduate course in assessment. The study design does not permit the isolation of training factors related to error reduction, or assessment of whether error reduction is a function of mere practice. However, the results do indicate that previous study findings of no or inconsistent improvement in scoring proficiency may have been the result of methodological factors. Implications for teaching individual intelligence testing and further research are discussed.
Work-Family Conflict, and Psychological Distress in Men and Women among Canadian Police Officers
Authors: Janzen B. L. , Muhajarine Nazeem , Kelly I. W.
Published: February 2008

The present study examined the relations among sex, work-family conflict, and psychological distress in 78 Canadian police officers (50 men and 28 women). The average age of the officers was 36.1 yr. ( SD= 8.0), and nearly one-third of the respondents had been in policing 16 years or more. Ordinary least-squares regression was conducted to examine the association of Psychological Distress scores, as measured by the K6, with four types of work-family conflict: Time-based Work-to-Family Conflict, Time-based Family-to-Work Conflict, Strain-based Work-to-Family Conflict, and Strain-based Family-to-Work Conflict. Being single and having higher perceived Strain-based Work-to-Family Conflict were associated with greater scores on Psychological Distress. No statistically significant sex differences emerged in the self-reported type or direction of work-family conflict or in the factors associated with Psychological Distress.
Effects of Expert Testimony and Interrogation Tactics on Perceptions of Confessions
Authors: Moffa Morgan S. , Platania Judith
Published: February 2008

Evidence obtained through the process of interrogation is frequently undermined by what can be perceived as overzealous interrogation tactics. Although the majority of psychologically oriented tactics are legally permissible, they nonetheless contribute to innocent suspects confessing to crimes they did not commit. The present study examined the effect of expert testimony and interrogation tactics on perceptions of a confession. 182 undergraduates read a transcript of a homicide trial that varied based on interrogation tactic: implicit threat of punishment (maximization) or leniency (minimization) and expert witness testimony (presence or absence of expert testimony). Analysis indicated that the type of interrogation tactic used in obtaining the confession affected participants' perceptions of the coerciveness of the interrogation process.
Concurrent Validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale for Clients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Schwartz Robert C.
Published: February 2008

Although the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale is a widely utilized instrument, little data on construct validity is available about its use with clients having schizophrenia. This study compared point-specific GAF scores with concurrent ratings of symptomatology and social and occupational impairments using the Functional Assessment Rating Scale (Ward & Dow, 1994). A linear multiple regression analysis of empirical data from investigations of clients' global functioning showed that increased work and school-related problems, danger to others, and psychotic symptoms predicted lower GAF scores. In general, GAF scores seem to reflect the construct of global psychological, social, and occupational functioning that the scale was designed to measure.
Motivational Effects of Success Or Failure Feedback on the Perception of Affective Pictures
Authors: Pahlavan F. , Lubart T.
Published: February 2008

A study of perception of affective pictures from the International Affective Photo System, using the Self Assessment Manikin scale, was conducted. It was hypothesized that participants' affective ratings could be moderated by a subjective experience of success or failure. Analysis, based on a sample of 36 university students, showed an approach tendency for women when they were exposed to positive pictures in the success condition. This approach tendency was associated with relatively shorter processing times and high affective ratings. Men showed relatively shorter processing times and high affective ratings when exposed to negative pictures. For memory-related measures, the highest scores were observed in the success condition for exposure to pleasant pictures. The results are discussed in terms of affective-related self-regulatory tendencies moderated by sex.