bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attributes of Group Atmosphere as Predictors of Students' Satisfaction in Seminar-Format Classes
Authors: Meredith Gerald M.
Published: August 2011

Moos' Group Environment Scale was administered to 450 college students in 63 seminar-format classes. The Leader Support and Cohesion scales were salient predictors of several end-of-semester ratings of effect of the program.
Hypnotic Analgesia and Stress Inoculation: A Critical Reexamination of Miller and Bowers
Authors: Nolan Robert P. , Spanos Nicholas P.
Published: August 2011

Miller and Bowers in 1986 examined the effects of hypnotic analgesia and stress inoculation on reported pain and concluded that their findings provided stronger support for a dissociation formulation of hypnotic analgesia than for a social psychological formulation. However, Miller and Bowers misdescribed both theoretical formulations, breached a number of methodological requirements and, most important, did not conduct statistical analyses to test the rival hypotheses. Careful examination of the pain-rating data they present, along with findings from related studies, provides stronger support for the social psychological than the dissociation formulation.
Liking for Same-Sex Evaluators as a Function of Their Physical Attractiveness and the Nature of Their Evaluations
Authors: Reed Philip R. , Mikalauskas Mary Agnes , Everson Benjamin A. , Wilson Warner
Published: August 2011

16 female introductory psychology students and 16 male ROTC students were interviewed by confederates of their own sex. The confederates were either attractive or unattractive and gave either positive or negative evaluations to the subjects. The subjects then rated the confederates on several traits related to likeability. The confederates' attractiveness had no main effect or interactive effect on any variable. Positive feedback from the confederates, on the other hand, improved the subjects' ratings of the confederates significantly on every variable. The results are discussed in relation to prior research and in relation to the concepts of reciprocity of liking and drive and reward.
Relationships among Spearman's Rho, Kendall's Tau, and the Matching Problem
Authors: Rae Gordon
Published: August 2011

Under an hypothesis of independence it is shown that a measure of agreement for ranked data based on the matching paradigm has asymptotic correlations of zero with Spearman's rho and Kendall's tau. However, for all values of n, the Pearson correlations between each pair of indices are simply related.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to an Individual with Severe Ritualistic Behaviors
Authors: Blue F. Richard , McKnight Dennis L. , Rau Bruce W. , Fulcher Ross B. , Fulcher Rosanne
Published: August 2011

A man with severe ritualistic behavior was cured through the use of a multidisciplinary approach. Medication for depression and anxiety, cognitive restructuring, thought stopping, response prevention, biofeedback, family therapy, activity therapy, and psychoeducational techniques were all used as treatment interventions.
Comparison of Skills Related to Effectiveness of Consultations: An Australian Sample of Medical Students
Authors: Evans B. J. , Stanley R. O. , Burrows G. D. , Sweet B.
Published: August 2011

For a sample of 70 Australian medical students scores on tests of empathy and nonverbal sensitivity are compared with scores of the original normative groups for the tests. On the empathy measure, the present sample showed scores consistent with the norm group in each category except Personal Distress. Scores on the test of nonverbal sensitivity were generally consistent with data from a range of norm groups.
Is Anger Elicited by the Defense Mechanism Inventory? An Exploratory Study
Authors: Passchier J. , Bonke B. , Verhage F.
Published: August 2011

The present study verified whether the Defense Mechanism Inventory mainly involves aggressive ego threats. A shortened Dutch version of the inventory representing the five content areas from the original version was administered to 105 medical students, and questions concerning negative emotions aroused were asked. Anger and pain were significantly more often reported than fear, distress, and disgust, which supported the hypothesis.
Reactions of Infants and Toddlers to Live and Toy Animals
Authors: Kidd Aline H. , Kidd Robert M.
Published: August 2011

250 infants, 25 boys and 25 girls each in the 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, and 30-mo. age groups, were individually observed with a mechanical toy dog which barked and moved realistically, a contact-comfort mechanical cat which purred and meowed when hugged and petted, and the family dog(s) and/or cat(s), presented in random order. An investigator-generated checklist of proximity-seeking and contact-promoting behaviors was used to record subject responses demonstrating whether the infants attached to pets because of tactual qualities, sounds, movement, familiarity, and/or behavioral qualities. It was hypothesized that as babies age, their responses to the live pet and toy animals would become progressively dissimilar and that older infants would show significantly more attachment behaviors and would spend significantly more time observing and interacting with live pets than with toy animals. Data support the hypotheses and indicate significant differences in the quantity of attachment behaviors toward live pets and toy animals at one year. From one year on, dogs are significantly preferred to cats by both sexes. During the first year, boys show significantly more attachment behaviors than girls; the two sexes are equal at 18 mo., and girls show significantly mote attachment behaviors than boys at 24 and 30 mo.
Effects of Bibliotherapy on the Self-Concept of Learning Disabled, Emotionally Handicapped Adolescents in a Classroom Setting
Authors: Lenkowsky Ronald S. , Dayboch Mark , Barowsky Ellis I. , Puccio Larry , Lenkowsky Barbara E.
Published: August 2011

Learning disabled, emotionally handicapped adolescents maintain poor strategies for coping with exigencies of environment. Attempts to gain direct access to these problem areas for remediation often result in a defensive withdrawal and reinforcement of maladaptive techniques in dealing with stress. Bibliotherapy offers a method through which adolescents can observe parallel stresses at an affective distance and incorporate change without a direct threat to personal independence. The present study employed bibliotherapeutic techniques for two of four groups of learning disabled, emotionally handicapped adolescents. Administration of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale shows a change in mean postintervention self-concept for the two groups under the bibliotherapeutic condition. Implications are discussed.
Perturbations and Compensations in Social Cognitive Conflict: A Functional Analysis of Cognitive Development
Authors: De Vincenzo Jose P. , Kelly Francis J.
Published: August 2011

Piaget's work from 1975 through 1980 added a dynamic aspect to his earlier formal structural model. This new work portrayed change in more functionalist terms and describes cognitive conflict referring to the process of perturbations and compensations to explain the regulations of the network of cognitive cycles. He suggests three types of balances or compensatory responses, alpha, beta, and gamma. These writings, however, ignore social interaction as a contributor to the process of perturbations and compensations. Doise and Mackie suggest that cognitive change and development is facilitated by peer interaction but they ignore the functional analysis of social collaboration. The present report presents data collected using selected Piagetian experiments in contradiction with Doise and Mackie's model. 30 children from 8 to 10 yr. of age worked in triads composed of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, while 20 8- to 10-yr.-olds worked alone during five independent sessions on selected Piagetian tasks on contradictions. Analysis showed in general co-construction produced significant and generalizable progress when compared with those working alone. Analysis of videotapes suggests that compensations in co-construction conditions might be detected. A brief section concerns utility of Piaget's network of cognitive cycles. Those preliminary comments were taken from video recording of the social interaction.
Consensus and Conflict in Parents of Autistic Children
Authors: Milgram Norman A. , Atzil Mira
Published: August 2011

Parents raising autistic children at home tended to agree on “objective” aspects of parenting—how difficult their child is, each parent's share of parenting responsibility, school/home collaboration, counseling received, child's attainments at maturity. They disagree on the “subjective”—fairness of each parent's share of parenting, how much each parent should do, whether child's living at home is worthwhile. Latter findings suggest parental discord warranting professional counseling.
Comparison of School Attitudes for Students Intellectually Gifted and Outstanding in Fine and Performng Arts in Grades 4 to 6
Authors: Karnes Frances A. , Whorton James E.
Published: August 2011

The School Attitude Measure was administered to 104 intellectually gifted and talented students in Grades 4 through 6. With only three exceptions, each percentile score was above the 50th percentile. Results suggest a positive relationship between cognitive ability and attitudes toward school which is weaker for the talented group than for the intellectually gifted.
A Systems Perspective of Personality
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

A theory that describes the structure and functioning of the mind is proposed. The basic concepts are defined, motivational and cognitive processes are described, and possible types of psychopathology are identified.
Sex, Sex-Roles, and Irrational Beliefs
Authors: Coleman Marilyn , Ganong Lawrence H.
Published: August 2011

Irrational beliefs have been related to a variety of psychological distresses, some of which are thought of more in relation to one sex than the other, i.e., depression, nonassertiveness, anger. However, Ellis did not assert that there were sex differences in irrational beliefs, and few researchers have examined the effect of sex-role socialization on irrational beliefs. The present study explored the effect of sex and sex-roles on irrational beliefs for a sample of 270 college students using the Irrational Beliefs Test and Bern's scale. While the study supports the belief that sex and sex-role are not unidimensional constructs, the data suggest that differences in sex-role socialization contribute to differences in adherence to irrational beliefs. It appears, however, that a feminine sex-role orientation is related to irrational beliefs. Although study is needed, clinicians are cautioned not to assume there are no sex or sex-role differences related to irrational thinking.
Can University Success and First-Year Job Performance Be Predicted from Academic Achievement, Vocational Interest, Personality and Biographical Measures?
Authors: Dyer Elaine D.
Published: August 2011

Factors associated with university success and with first-year job performance were sought. All entering sophomore students ( N = 970) over a 7-yr. period completed the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, California Psychological Inventory, and a 145-item biographical inventory. Grades and achievement scores were retrieved from university records. One year after their graduation, participants' supervisors described their job performance. Stepwise multiple regression determined variables associated with high grade point average and high job performance. Inventories were used as predictors separately and together. Students' self-reports of high-school academic performance accounted for 15 to 20 percent of the 30 to 35 percent of variance explained in achieving nursing and university GPAs. Personality variables added 3 to 5%, and interest variables 1%. The best predictors of job performance were GPA and the biographical inventory. More than 92 percent of the variance in performance was explained in 11 of the 12 performance equations when all prediction inventories were used.
A French Version of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory
Authors: Alain Michel
Published: August 2011

Research on sex-roles has been extensive in recent years. More researchers are using sex-role orientation as a way to analyze and refine data analysis. The Bern Sex-role Inventory is popular and has been used in different cultural contexts and sometimes in different languages. This study presents a French version. Internal consistency of the inventory and test-retest correlations are high and quite similar to Bern's original (1974) data.
Interrater Agreement on a Socially Valid Measure of Students' Creativity
Authors: Runco Mark A.
Published: August 2011

The reliability and true variance of a socially valid measure of creativity was assessed by asking three judges to rate the creativity of 29 adolescents. Interitem reliability was .93; interrater reliability was .48; and true score variance, estimated from the interitem and interrater reliability coefficients, was .65.
Career Development Programs in Fortune 500 Firms
Authors: Keller Jack , Piotrowski Chris
Published: August 2011

Career Development Programs (CDPs) are a rather recent area of study in organizational and industrial psychology. The present study investigated the status and evaluation of such programs in Fortune 500 firms. Data were obtained by a questionnaire completed by each firm's human resources director. Of the 500 companies surveyed, only those that had programs in place ( N = 50) were analyzed. The programs were targeted at middle-to-upper level managers and the programs were evaluated as being quite helpful. These programs were usually of short duration (workshops lasting several days) and conducted by professionals from within the organization. The findings were discussed in light of some recent literature in the field.
Moral Reconation Therapy: A Systematic Step-by-Step Treatment System for Treatment Resistant Clients
Authors: Little Gregory L. , Robinson Kenneth D.
Published: August 2011

Moral Reconation Therapy is a systematic treatment strategy designed to enhance ego, social, moral, and positive behavioral growth in a progressive, step-by-step fashion. It is based upon the assumption that fully functioning, reasonably content, happy persons have a strong sense of identity and that their behavior and relationships are based upon relatively high moral judgment levels. The therapist strives to reeducate clients socially, morally, and behaviorally and to instill appropriate goals, motivation, and values. Moral Reconation Therapy has slowly evolved in response to the unique needs of particular client populations who are considered resistant to treatment. The therapy is an adaptable and utilitarian treatment system. This article is a review of the treatment system and relevant personality theory, and a description of how the system is applied to drug abusers and clients with antisocial personalities. In addition, the article presents preliminary research on the system.
School Perceptions of Puerto Rican Mothers and Achievement of Their Children
Authors: Soto Lourdes Diaz , Gellen Murray I. , Morris John D.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations between school-related perceptions of 57 Puerto Rican mothers residing in east-central Pennsylvania and achievement of their children. The school-related perceptions were obtained using the Marjoribanks Family Environment Schedule, which yielded scores for satisfaction with school, teachers, and subject areas as well as a measure of the mother's language of preference for instruction. The children's achievement was measured by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Statistically significant correlations were not found between the Iowa reading scores and maternal satisfaction with all school-related variables. However, a significant value of .27 was identified between maternal satisfaction with teachers' and the children's Iowa mathematics scores. Of the mothers 86% expressed a preference for English as the language of instruction for their children. The school personnel need to identify factors contributing to these positive attitudes.
Everyday Forgetting: Data from a Diary Study
Authors: Terry W. Scott
Published: August 2011

50 subjects were asked to keep a diary of instances in which they realized they had forgotten something. The 750 forgettings recorded were grouped on the basis of nominal similarity, with 64% of them falling into one of 24 categories. The major categories included forgetting to comply with requests, failures of habitual actions, absentmindedness, and forgetting to bring something. Most failures involved the forgetting to perform a future action (i.e., forgetting to do something) as opposed to forgetting facts, names, or other information once known. These results suggest that the failure to retrieve the intention to do something at the appropriate time is the source of many forgettings, and this finding may have implications for the construction of memory inventories.
Psychosocial Factors in Excessive Drinking of Senior Citizens and the General Population: Opinions of Alcohol Intervention Workers
Authors: Israelstam Stephen
Published: August 2011

87 intervention workers indicated agreement with 18 statements about factors in excessive drinking of senior citizens (seniors) and 18 parallel statements concerning the general population. Respondents rated statements differently for seniors and the general population.
Hierarchy of Response to Handicaps
Authors: Horne Marcia D. , Ricciardo Jerry L.
Published: August 2011

This study compared the relative attitudes toward various types of exceptionality among three groups of elementary and intermediate-grade children ( ns = 36, 41, and 79) and one group of adults ( n = 1030). It also investigated the stability of these rankings over 13 years and in different parts of the United States. The hierarchies of preferences for these two groups of southwestern children were highly correlated, as were those preferences for these children and adults in the east. A comparison of the ranks obtained in 1987 with those reported in 1974–75 showed a stable hierarchy over time and geographical locations.
Young Children's Companion Animal Bonding and Adults' Pet Attitudes: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Poresky Robert H. , Hendrix Charles , Mosier Jacob E. , Samuelson Marvin L.
Published: August 2011

Adults' attitudes toward pets were related to their ages when they had their first pets and the bonds they formed with their most important pets. Contemporary pet attitudes were more strongly related to childhood bonding scores than contemporary bonding scores. Adults' contemporary attitudes toward pets were positively correlated with their retrospective childhood Companion Animal Bonding scores. The Companion Animal Semantic Differential pet attitude measures were also most positive for those who had a first pet when they were younger than 6 yr. and least positive for those who had a first pet when they were over 10 yr. old. The childhood bonding scores were more predictive of contemporary pet attitudes than contemporary bonding scores. No significant differences were found between pet owners and nonowners.
MMPI Profiles of Native-, Mexican-, and Caucasian-American Male Alcoholics
Authors: Venn Jonathan
Published: August 2011

Sixteen Native-American and 16 Mexican-American men were matched with Caucasian-American men on the basis of age and marital status. All subjects took the MMPI during inpatient rehabilitation for alcoholism. The present findings support earlier observations that (a) the 2–4 code type is a normative group profile among alcoholics, (b) Mexican Americans tend to score higher than Caucasians on Scale L, and (c) significant differences between ethnic groups tend not to appear when the samples are matched for relevant variables like age and marital status.
Sensitivity of Two Visual Reproduction Tests to Alcoholic Brain Impairment
Authors: Kelly David B. , Greene Roger L. , Farr Stephen P.
Published: August 2011

The Wechsler Memory Scale Visual Reproduction subtest and the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure Test were administered to alcoholics to examine visual reproduction impairment. The initial test group was comprised of 28 inpatients in an alcohol treatment program while 16 subsequent inpatients served as the cross-validation group. The Visual Reproduction subtest correlated significantly with an average impairment index both in the initial group and the less-impaired cross validation group. The Complex Figure scores showed significant correlations with the average impairment index only in the initial group. It was concluded that the most likely reason for this outcome was the emphasis upon intentional learning in the Visual Reproduction subtest as opposed to the emphasis upon incidental learning in the Complex Figure recall task. The results were discussed in the context that alcoholics may have an impaired ability to use efficient encoding strategies spontaneously.
Medication Decisions and the Risk of Tardive Dyskinesia
Authors: Eisenthal Sherman , Falk William E.
Published: August 2011

A random sample of one-third or 338 of the psychiatrists from the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society were surveyed. 48% or 162 completed a questionnaire composed of 10 vignettes, all describing the initial contact with an adult male schizophrenic outpatient who had been receiving chlorpromazine treatment and who showed no signs of tardive dyskinesia. The vignettes depicted varying durations of treatment, symptoms and courses of illness during prior treatment. Instructions focussed on the effect of the potential for developing tardive dyskinesia on decisions to continue to use chlorpromazine. We found that the primary consideration in medication decisions was to control active psychotic symptoms; a secondary one was to minimize the risk of tardive dyskinesia. When the psychosis was in remission, avoiding tardive dyskinesia was given higher priority than seeking to maintain the remission.
Sex Differences in Depression in Early Adolescents
Authors: Friedrich William N. , Reams Redmond , Jacobs Jane H.
Published: August 2011

This study examined sex differences in the self-report of depression in early adolecents. A sample of 269 junior high adolescents completed a biographical data sheet, short forms of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Family Environment Scale, a Social Support Index, and a Life Stress Inventory. A subset of 61 mothers completed a Beck inventory, and a Family Environment Scale on their children. Sex differences were demonstrated in the relation of depression to the family and individual variables. Depression in boys was correlated with life stress and lower grades, while for girls, depression was correlated with several types of social support and lower grades.
Analysis of Shoppers' Attitudes
Authors: Hallsworth Alan G.
Published: August 2011

There is a growing body of literature that suggests that shopping may not simply be an economic exercise. It may be that there is also a ‘social’ function to shopping. Empirical results presented suggest that such ‘social’ factors do exist and they may be structured into a simple typology.
Empirical Study of Perry's Model: A Rejoinder
Authors: Wilkinson William K.
Published: August 2011

An operational definition of experience and improvement of psychometric characteristics of Perry's Adherence Scale are among issues requiring attention in the study of Perry's model of epistemological thinking.
Sex-Role Egalitarianism, Feminism, and Sexual Identity
Authors: Royse David , Clawson Donna
Published: August 2011

This study of 132 feminists found no statistically significant differences among heterosexuals, bisexuals, or lesbians on the Sex-role Egalitarianism Scale. The hypothesis of greater sex-role egalitarianism among lesbians was not supported.
Intelligence and Emotional/Behavioral Factors as Correlates of Achievement in Child Psychiatric Inpatients
Authors: Finch A. J. , Blount Ronald L. , Saylor Conway F. , Wolfe Vicky V. , Pallmeyer Thomas P. , Intosh Julia A. Mc , Griffin Jean M. , Carek Donald J.
Published: August 2011

This study investigated the extent to which IQ and emotional/behavioral factors were related to tested academic achievement in 56 child psychiatric inpatients. The first part of the study replicated and extended previous research; WISC—R IQs were highly correlated with tested achievement, Verbal IQs being more highly correlated with achievement than were Performance or Full Scale IQs. In the second part of the study which examined the relationship between the emotional/behavioral indices and achievement, only Trait Anxiety correlated significantly with achievement. However, after the relationship between Trait Anxiety and Verbal IQ was partialed out, the correlation between anxiety and achievement was no longer significant. These findings raise questions regarding the magnitude of the relationship between measures of emotional/behavioral status and tested academic achievement within a single sample of emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.
Low Tech/High Touch Criterion-Based Learning
Authors: Cone Al L.
Published: August 2011

92 students completed a criterion-based course in general psychology in which they spent 75% of class time teaching one another in small, permanently assigned groups using instructional objectives prepared by the instructor. Testing required 90% correct to avoid an alternative test (Form 2) at the next class. All took a standardized test for seniors majoring in psychology. Course grade was significantly correlated with scores on the standardized test. Students with grades of A achieved the 39th percentile for seniors after one semester of general psychology. Results are discussed in terms of the advantages of using small interpersonal groups in conjunction with instructional objectives to produce learning in general psychology to a high, preset criterion.
Concurrent Validation of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory among Vietnam Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Hyer Lee , Woods Marilyn G. , Boudewyns Patrick A. , Bruno Ralph , O'Leary William C.
Published: August 2011

A carefully derived group of 60 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) inpatient Vietnam veterans was identified and given two psychometric inventories, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory and the Sixteen Personality Factor Test to identify a profile for this disorder among Vietnam veterans. A profile of the Passive-Aggressive and Avoidant personality patterns (8–2) resulted. The personality patterns of Schizoid and Borderline were present as influencing styles, as were the symptom disorders of Dysthymia and Anxiety. The 16 PF pattern of this group was low on Warmth, Emotional Stability, Happy-Go-Lucky, Boldness, Self-discipline, and Extraversion, and high on Suspiciousness, Insecurity, Self-sufficiency, and Anxiety. Also, using the method developed by Krug for the 16 PF, a 1322 (or 2322) style resulted. This style is noted for its anxiety and introversion components. Both scales are useful in identification and description of PTSD.
The Reliability and Validity of Clinical Grading in Dental Education
Authors: Hamby Carol L. , Shapiro Stewart
Published: August 2011

Two dental procedures, use of a dental drill and finishing a prepared cavity with sharp hand tools, were performed by all 56 first-year dental students and graded by 3 experienced faculty according to standard criteria. Intraexaminer reliabilities ranged from 94 to 100%. Interexaminer differences in grading were nonsignificant. Despite students' concern, scoring was accurate and consistent within and between examiners.
One-Session Worksite Smoking-Cessation and Discouragement
Authors: Dawley Harold H. , Fassler William
Published: August 2011

A one-session smoking-cessation workshop was offered in conjunction with a self-help manual and smoking discouragement program to 9 employees of a coal transfer company located south of New Orleans. The workshop consisted of 1 ½ hours of lecture in which the participants agreed to sign a contract stating that they would not smoke for six months. Participants also agreed to put up a financial incentive that was matched by the company to be paid to those individuals who went 6 mo. without smoking. The smoking-discouragement program consisted of the placement of humorous antismoking posters throughout the worksite emphasizing the advantages of quitting. Three of the 9 participants were still not smoking at a 6-mo. follow-up. The relatively low cost involved in this study indicates that such an approach to smoking-cessation at the worksite is quite cost effective.
Types of Power Motivation, Sense of Security, and Style of Power-Seeking in Groups
Authors: Assor Avi
Published: August 2011

Two studies examined the hypothesis that, in men, the revised nPower system of Winter measures a specific type of power orientation, which is associated with a moderate sense of security and a moderately defensive style of power-seeking. It was also hypothesized that nPower measures a less secure and a more defensive type of power orientation than the Dominance scale (Dom) of the California Psychological Inventory. High nPower (nPow) scores were associated with a moderate sense of security, whereas high Dominance scores were associated with a high sense of security, as indicated by self-report and sentence-completion personality tests and by peer ratings. In small groups, nPow predicted the development of the moderately defensive attitude of extreme superiority, whereas Dominance predicted the development of the nondefensive orientations of leadership-seeking and unsolicited helping. nPow was negatively related to unsolicited helping. Dominance but not nPow predicted the achievement of leadership and self-confident behavior. On the basis of these results and findings from other studies, it is argued that nPow, unlike Dominance, does not predict leadership-seeking and attainment in long-term small groups.
Contributions to the History of Psychology: L. French Historical Views on the Acceptability of Evidence regarding Child Sexual Abuse
Authors: Cunningham Jacqueline L.
Published: August 2011

An historical view shows that much plasticity has existed in the acceptability of evidence regarding sexual abuse of children, depending on theoretical underpinnings and more strongly on emotional reactions to this topic. These relationships have been illustrated by 19th-century French authors in how they have seen the seriousness of the problem of sexual abuse in childhood, sought to document its incidence, and upheld the credibility of children's testimony. Three important historical perspectives regarding these issues are presented in this paper. Together, they represent a dialectic and contextual course in the psychological conceptualization of this topic similar to one repeated within our own times. They thus furnish a compelling case in favor of contemporary social constructionist theory and raise the related issue of alternatives to a staunch empiricist and inductivist approach to the planning and evaluation of research in this area.
Perceived Goal-Difficulty, Locus of Control, and Performance Ratings
Authors: Bigoness William J. , Keef Kimberlee M. , Du Bose Philip B.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the moderating effect of locus of control upon the relationship between perceived goal-difficulty and performance ratings. Across the entire sample of 108 registered nurses, perceived goal difficulty was not significantly related to performance, whether assessed by self-ratings or supervisors' ratings. Locus of control, however, significantly moderated the relation between perceived goal-difficulty and self-ratings of performance. Among nurses who scored lower on the locus of control scale, indicating an internal orientation, there was a positive and statistically significant relation between perceived goal-difficulty and self-ratings of performance. On the other hand, among nurses scoring higher on the locus of control scale, indicating an external orientation, there was an inverse relation between perceived goal difficulty and self-ratings of performance. In addition, locus of control was weakly associated with supervisors' evaluations, self-evaluations, and nurses' perceptions of goal-difficulty. Magnitudes of rs ranged from −.19 to .15.
Measuring Attitudes toward Statistics in an Introductory Course on Statistics
Authors: Waters L. K. , Martelli Theresa , Zakrajsek Todd , Popovich Paula M.
Published: August 2011

The 1980 Statistics Attitude Survey of Roberts and Bilderback was administered to 237 students in 8 sections of a freshman introductory course on statistics at both the beginning and the end of the course. Reliability estimates, means, standard deviations, correlations with course grade, and changes in attitudes were very similar to those reported by Roberts and Saxe in 1982 for upper-level students also taking an introductory course. No sex differences were found for either administration of the scale.
Fit to Lead: Prediction of Success in a Military Academy through Use of Personality Profile
Authors: Stevens Gwendolyn , Hemstreet Alyce , Gardner Sheldon
Published: August 2011

The US Coast Guard Academy provides a unique setting for predictive research using psychological tests. Not only is it a “closed” setting, but all incoming students (“swabs”) take a battery of tests in the summer before their first semester. Although the senior author and her colleagues had succeeded in isolating variables that differentiate cadets who successfully complete the program from those who drop out, the current study was an attempt to use the profile data to make specific predictions concerning completion vs attrition by use of a discriminant analysis. The relative ineffectiveness of personality scales, even after considerable refinement of the variables, to predict this specific outcome is an indication of the complexity of the decision making.
Comparison of Described Empathic and Nominated Empathic Individuals
Authors: Brown Nina W.
Published: August 2011

A composite profile of “empathic individuals” was developed from adjectives checked on Gough and Heilbrun's Adjective Check List by 43 undergraduate students enrolled in a course on counseling. Individuals were nominated as empathic by the students who also completed the checklist. The composite profile was consistent with the Rogerian definition of empathy and Factor 3 (Sociability) of the check list. The profiles for the nominated sample and for the students did not differ significantly on 36 of the 37 scales but both differed significantly from the composite profile on 34 scales.
Standardization of an Arabic Version of Lanyon's Psychological Screening Inventory
Authors: Amir Taha
Published: August 2011

Lanyon's Psychological Screening Inventory was translated into Arabic and applied to a group of 479 males and females whose ages ranged from 16 to 50 yr. Means, standard deviations, and the pattern of mean differences between the sexes were similar to those reported by Lanyon for the English version. One exception was the Alienation scale on which the mean score of the present subjects was more than one-and-a-half standard deviations above the average. Test-retest reliabilities of the scales were satisfactory. The inventory was applied to special groups including psychiatric patients and prison inmates, and the validities were estimated accordingly. It was concluded that the inventory could be used with Kuwaiti subjects. Further studies were recommended.
Effects of Moral Reconation Therapy upon Moral Reasoning, Life Purpose, and Recidivism among Drug and Alcohol Offenders
Authors: Little Gregory L. , Robinson Kenneth D.
Published: August 2011

40 incarcerated DWI offenders and 62 drug offenders who were treated with Moral Reconation Therapy were assessed with respect to levels of moral reasoning, their perceived purpose in life, and subsequent recidivism. Analysis showed that, as clients progress in the program, levels of moral reasoning and purpose in life increase significantly. Level of moral reasoning appears to increase with clients' completion of therapeutic steps. Preliminary recidivism data on 103 male and female inmate-clients who have participated in an aftercare program using the therapy appear encouraging.
Commitment to Career versus Family/Home Life: Effects of Sex, Sex-Role Identity, and Family Status
Authors: Powell Gary N. , Posner Barry Z.
Published: August 2011

This study examined commitment to career, as opposed to family or home life, for a sample of 154 working MBA students. In contrast to previous results for middle managers, men were more committed to their careers than women. However, the effect of sex was largely explained by individuals' sex-role identity. Family status had no effect on commitment.
Relationship between Game Playing and Personality
Authors: Carroll James L. , Carolin Paul M.
Published: August 2011

The relationship between personality variables and involvement in adventure games (such as Dungeons and Dragons) has been equivocal with both negative and positive correlates being reported. 75 college students were evaluated with the 16 PF. No differences were found between heavy and light involvement gamers; both groups' scores were similar to the 16 PF standardization population.
Psychology of Computer Use: VII. Measuring Technostress: Computer-Related Stress
Authors: Hudiburg Richard A.
Published: August 2011

The Computer Technology Hassles Scale was developed to measure technostress or computer-related stress. The Computer Technology Hassles Scale was based on the idea that certain interactions with computer technology are perceived by people to be stressful or a “hassle.” Subjects rated a list of 65 “hassles” as to severity, using a graded response. To ascertain the relation of the Computer Technology Hassles Scale to other measures, the subjects were given the Perceived Stress Scale, a measure of global stress. Subjects were also given a measure of computer attitudes, the Computer Attitude Scale. Demographic data on each subject were also collected. The correlational analyses showed that scores on the Computer Technology Hassles Scale were significantly correlated with scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the number of hours of computer use but not with attitudes toward computers. These results suggest that the Computer Technology Hassles Scale taps a dimension of psychological stress and that increased computer use for some people leads to increased computer-related stress.
Geophysical Variables and Behavior: LVII. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Phototherapy
Authors: Murray John B.
Published: August 2011

Seasonal affective disorder, depressive symptoms that recur in fall and winter and abate in spring-summer, for many patients in the United States and Europe, have been alleviated by exposure to bright, full spectrum light for several hours daily (phototherapy). The characteristics of these patients, the procedures used, the theoretical explanations of the mechanisms, and the potential of phototherapy are reviewed.
Effect of Recall Order on Long-Term Recency
Authors: Sato Koichi
Published: August 2011

The effect of recall order on long-term recency effects in the continuous-distractor paradigm was investigated. Each list contained a series of pairs, each of a word and a number. In a recall session, subjects were given the numbers as probes and recalled the words paired with the numbers. Long-term recency effects were largely reduced when subjects recalled words from the primacy portion prior to other words, as in the case of short-term recency effects observed in the immediate-recall paradigm. These results suggest that the same mechanisms underlie the short-term and the long-term recency effects.
Similarity of Sales Representatives' and Supervisors' Problem-Solving Styles and the Satisfaction-Performance Relationship
Authors: Goldsmith Ronald E. , McNeilly Kevin M. , Russ Frederick A.
Published: August 2011

Data from 125 sales representatives of 9 firms suggest that the difference between their scores and those of their sales managers on the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory moderates the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance.
Situational Importance, Affect, and Causal Attribution
Authors: Shaughnessy Mary S. , Teglasi Hedwig
Published: August 2011

Causal attributions, expectancies, past frequency of occurrence, and affect of 50 fifth grade children were compared in important and unimportant negative social situations. Important negative social situations were rated as having more global causes, being more upsetting, having greater frequency of past occurrence, and greater expectancy of future occurrence than unimportant situations. Sex interacted with importance for causal attributions. Sex differences in causal attributions emerged for important but not for unimportant situations. Children's free-response explanations for why situations were important or unimportant were also examined.
Females' Emotionality as Reflected in the Excretion of the Dopamine Metabolite Hva during Mental Stress
Authors: Rauste-von Wright Maijaliisa , Frankenhaeuser Marianne
Published: August 2011

This paper describes the relationships between psychological assessments of emotionality and massfragmentographic measures of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) in healthy boys and girls. Examination stress induced a significant rise in HVA excretion in both sexes. In girls, but not in boys, significant positive correlations were found between HVA excretion during stress and a set of measures of “negatively coloured” emotionality (distress, anxiety, lack of self-esteem, etc.) obtained at different points in time.
Somatotypes Revisited: Have the Media Changed Our Perception of the Female Body Image?
Authors: Spillman Diana Marie , Everington Caroline
Published: August 2011

234 university students were given a questionnaire examining the relation between certain behavioral characteristics and female body-build somatotypes. Analysis confirmed previous findings that stereotypical images continue to exist for the mesomorph and endomorph body types, with favorable characteristics attributed to the mesomorph and unfavorable to the endomorph. Contrary to previous findings, the ectomorph, or thin body build, was associated with positive characteristics such as being the most attractive, having the most dates, and exercising the most. The young women also chose this body build as the image they would like to be. These findings appear to confirm preoccupation with thinness and fitness observed among college women and thought to be promoted by the media.
Contributions to the History of Psychology: LIV. Harry Miles Johnson: War without Peace
Authors: Webb Wilse B.
Published: August 2011

Harry Miles Johnson (1885–1953) took his Ph.D. under John B. Watson at Johns Hopkins University. During World War I Johnson was the first “aviation psychologist” and did pioneering research in vision, accident prevention, and sleep. He founded the Ph.D. experimental psychology program at Tulane University. He was an acerbic critic of psychology from a position of “objective empiricism.” This position was modulated by his beliefs in the importance of applications of psychology and an emphasis on underlying philosophical issues. Despite a long and productive career, Harry M. Johnson is little remembered in the history of American psychology. This paper examines aspects of this paradox.
Reliability of Academic and Dispositional Measures of Procrastination
Authors: Ferrari Joseph R.
Published: August 2011

The reliabilities of the Procrastination Assessment Scale—Students and the General Procrastination Scale were examined. Scores ( n = 116) on split-half comparisons (odd vs even items) from two sections of the former were significantly, though moderately, correlated. Test-retest comparisons (1 mo.; n = 99) on both sections of the scale were correlated significantly. Test-retest scores on the general scale for a second independent sample of students (1 mo; n = 119 out of 132) also were correlated significantly. There was no significant sex difference on test-retest scores from either inventory. The inventories have adequate reliability and acceptable temporal stability as psychometric measures of procrastination.
A Factorial Validity Study of the Social Orientation Inventory
Authors: Freeman Brenda , Lanning Wayne
Published: August 2011

The factor analysis of the 28-item, self-report measure of social power motivation gave three interpretable factors. Factor 1, organizational leadership, is based on high loadings for managerial functions in organizations. Factor 2, recognition without achievement, has high positive loadings for highly visible positions one may hold. Factor 3, individual dominance, is characterized by high loadings on questions indicating personal dominance over others.
Relations of Spanking and other Parenting Characteristics to Self-Esteem and Perceived Fairness of Parental Discipline
Authors: Larzelere Robert E. , Klein Michael , Schumm Walter R. , Alibrando Samuel A.
Published: August 2011

Punishment has long been a controversial topic in psychology, perhaps partly because its effects are different under different circumstances. This study used retrospective reports from college students to examine the effects of spanking, a common aversive punishment, on self-esteem and perceived fairness of parental discipline, while taking the effects of other parental characteristics into account. No parental characteristic interacted with the slightly negative effect of spanking on self-esteem and fairness. However, controlling for positive communication or for a parent-oriented motivation for spanking eliminated the negative effects of spanking, suggesting that the negative effects reflected use of spanking as a replacement for positive communication with the child.
Antecedents and Consequences of the Intrinsic Motivation to Shop
Authors: Lesser Jack A. , Forsythe Sandra M.
Published: August 2011

Although the concept of intrinsic motivation has been widely investigated in most of the social sciences, it has rarely been applied to consumer or shopping behavior. In this paper, relationships of the concepts, within a shopping context, to variables often considered its antecedents and consequences are examined empirically, using responses obtained from 380 adults who were exiting a large mall. There may be serious problems with intrinsic motivation as a variable construct.
Contributions to Psychohistory: XVI. A Response about Courtly Love
Authors: Rechtien John G. , Fiedler Edna
Published: August 2011

The authors surveyed the importance of Andrew's rules of courtly courtesy to evaluate a potential lover. The authors chose to capture what they interpreted as the tone of Andrew's items. Their scale should be seen as adaptation rather than as literal translation. Despite differences between the authors' adaptation and Parry's literal translation, scale scores for the two versions correlated significantly. Tables report amount of agreement in the direction of courtly love; notes in the tables show which items were reverse scored. Because this was a pilot survey, consistency of agreement to individual items was perceived as essential. Across several administrations of the questionnaire, at least 75% agreement with eight of Andrew's 11 courtesy commandments was found. Factor analysis yielded three factors: social discretion, social chivalry, and personal generosity. To develop an instrument for experimental purposes, however, each of the factors would need to be measured by multiple items. Such an effort would appear worthwhile given the relative lack of available measures of courtesy and the importance subjects placed on courtesy to evaluate potential lovers. Finally, additional research directions were suggested.