bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Judgment and Decision Making by Individuals and Teams: Issues, Models, and Applications
Authors: Mosier Kathleen L. , Fischer Ute M.
Published: November 2010

Consistent with technological advances, the role of the operator in many human factors domains has evolved from one characterized primarily by sensory and motor skills to one characterized primarily by cognitive skills and decision making. Decision making is a primary component in problem solving, human-automation interaction, response to alarms and warnings, and error mitigation. In this chapter we discuss decision making in terms of both front-end judgment processes (e.g., attending to and evaluating the significance of cues and information, formulating a diagnosis, or assessing the situation) and back-end decision processes (e.g., retrieving a course of action, weighing one's options, or mentally simulating a possible response). Two important metatheories—correspondence (empirical accuracy) and coherence (rationality and consistency)—provide ways to assess the goodness of each phase (e.g., Hammond, 1996, 2000; Mosier, 2009). We present several models of decision making, including Brunswik's lens model, naturalistic decision making, and decision ladders, and discuss them in terms of their point of focus and their primary strategies and goals. Next, we turn the discussion to layers in the decision context: individual variables, team decision making, technology, and organizational influences. Last, we focus on applications and lessons learned: investigating, enhancing, designing, and training for decision making. Drawing heavily on sources such as the Human Factors journal, we present recent human factors research exploring these issues, models, and applications.
Gap Junction Expression Is Required for Normal Chemical Synapse Formation
Authors: Todd Krista L. , Kristan William B. , French Kathleen A.
Published: November 2010

Electrical and chemical synapses provide two distinct modes of direct communication between neurons, and the embryonic development of the two is typically not simultaneous. Instead, in both vertebrates and invertebrates, gap junction-based electrical synapses arise before chemical synaptogenesis, and the early circuits composed of gap junction-based electrical synapses resemble those produced later by chemical synapses. This developmental sequence from electrical to chemical synapses has led to the hypothesis that, in developing neuronal circuits, electrical junctions are necessary forerunners of chemical synapses. Up to now, it has been difficult to test this hypothesis directly, but we can identify individual neurons in the leech nervous system from before the time when synapses are first forming, so we could test the hypothesis. Using RNA interference, we transiently reduced gap junction expression in individual identified neurons during the 2–4 d when chemical synapses normally form. We found that the expected chemical synapses failed to form on schedule, and they were still missing months later when the nervous system was fully mature. We conclude that the formation of gap junctions between leech neurons is a necessary step in the formation of chemical synaptic junctions, confirming the predicted relation between electrical synapses and chemical synaptogenesis.
Growing Together and Growing Apart: Regional and Sex Differences in the Lifespan Developmental Trajectories of Functional Homotopy
Authors: Zuo Xi-Nian , Kelly Clare , Di Martino Adriana , Mennes Maarten , Margulies Daniel S. , Bangaru Saroja , Grzadzinski Rebecca , Evans Alan C. , Zang Yu-Feng , Castellanos F. Xavier , Milham Michael P.
Published: November 2010

Functional homotopy, the high degree of synchrony in spontaneous activity between geometrically corresponding interhemispheric (i.e., homotopic) regions, is a fundamental characteristic of the intrinsic functional architecture of the brain. However, despite its prominence, the lifespan development of the homotopic resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the human brain is rarely directly examined in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Here, we systematically investigated age-related changes in homotopic RSFC in 214 healthy individuals ranging in age from 7 to 85 years. We observed marked age-related changes in homotopic RSFC with regionally specific developmental trajectories of varying levels of complexity. Sensorimotor regions tended to show increasing homotopic RSFC, whereas higher-order processing regions showed decreasing connectivity (i.e., increasing segregation) with age. More complex maturational curves were also detected, with regions such as the insula and lingual gyrus exhibiting quadratic trajectories and the superior frontal gyrus and putamen exhibiting cubic trajectories. Sex-related differences in the developmental trajectory of functional homotopy were detected within dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 9 and 46) and amygdala. Evidence of robust developmental effects in homotopic RSFC across the lifespan should serve to motivate studies of the physiological mechanisms underlying functional homotopy in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.
Astrocytes as Gatekeepers of GABABReceptor Function
Authors: Beenhakker Mark P. , Huguenard John R.
Published: November 2010

The long-lasting actions of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA result from the activation of metabotropic GABABreceptors. Enhanced GABAB-mediated IPSCs are critical for the generation of generalized thalamocortical seizures. Here, we demonstrate that GABAB-mediated IPSCs recorded in the thalamus are primarily defined by GABA diffusion and activation of distal extrasynaptic receptors potentially up to tens of micrometers from synapses. We also show that this diffusion is differentially regulated by two astrocytic GABA transporters, GAT1 and GAT3, which are localized near and far from synapses, respectively. A biologically constrained model of GABA diffusion and uptake shows how the two GATs differentially modulate amplitude and duration of GABABIPSCs. Specifically, the perisynaptic expression of GAT1 enables it to regulate GABA levels near synapses and selectively modulate peak IPSC amplitude, which is primarily dependent on perisynaptic receptor occupancy. GAT3 expression, however, is broader and includes distal extrasynaptic regions. As such, GAT3 acts as a gatekeeper to prevent diffusion of GABA away from synapses toward extrasynaptic regions that contain a potentially enormous pool of GABABreceptors. Targeting this gatekeeper function may provide new pharmacotherapeutic opportunities to prevent the excessive GABABreceptor activation that appears necessary for thalamic seizure generation.
Regulation of the Postsynaptic Cytoskeleton: Roles in Development, Plasticity, and Disorders
Authors: Svitkina Tatyana , Lin Wan-Hsin , Webb Donna J. , Yasuda Ryohei , Wayman Gary A. , Van Aelst Linda , Soderling Scott H.
Published: November 2010

The small size of dendritic spines belies the elaborate role they play in excitatory synaptic transmission and ultimately complex behaviors. The cytoskeletal architecture of the spine is predominately composed of actin filaments. These filaments, which at first glance might appear simple, are also surprisingly complex. They dynamically assemble into different structures and serve as a platform for orchestrating the elaborate responses of the spine during experience-dependent plasticity. This mini-symposium review will feature ongoing research into how spines are regulated by actin-signaling pathways during development and plasticity. It will also highlight evolving studies into how disruptions to these pathways might be functionally coupled to congenital disorders such as mental retardation.
Purkinje Cell NMDA Receptors Assume a Key Role in Synaptic Gain Control in the Mature Cerebellum
Authors: Piochon Claire , Levenes Carole , Ohtsuki Gen , Hansel Christian
Published: November 2010

A classic view in cerebellar physiology holds that Purkinje cells do not express functional NMDA receptors and that, therefore, postsynaptic NMDA receptors are not involved in the induction of long-term depression (LTD) at parallel fiber (PF) to Purkinje cell synapses. Recently, it has been demonstrated that functional NMDA receptors are postsynaptically expressed at climbing fiber (CF) to Purkinje cell synapses in mice, reaching full expression levels at ∼2 months after birth. Here, we show that in the mature mouse cerebellum LTD (induced by paired PF and CF activation), but not long-term potentiation (LTP; PF stimulation alone) at PF to Purkinje cell synapses is blocked by bath application of the NMDA receptor antagonistD-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (D-APV). A blockade of LTD, but not LTP, was also observed when the noncompetitive NMDA channel blocker MK-801 was added to the patch-pipette saline, suggesting that postsynaptically expressed NMDA receptors are required for LTD induction. Using confocal calcium imaging, we show that CF-evoked calcium transients in dendritic spines are reduced in the presence of D-APV. This observation confirms that NMDA receptor signaling occurs at CF synapses and suggests that NMDA receptor-mediated calcium transients at the CF input site might contribute to LTD induction. Finally, we performed dendritic patch-clamp recordings from rat Purkinje cells. Dendritically recorded CF responses were reduced when D-APV was bath applied. Together, these data suggest that the late developmental expression of postsynaptic NMDA receptors at CF synapses onto Purkinje cells is associated with a switch toward an NMDA receptor-dependent LTD induction mechanism.
Molecular Pathways Controlling Development of Thalamus and Hypothalamus: From Neural Specification to Circuit Formation
Authors: Blackshaw Seth , Scholpp Steffen , Placzek Marysia , Ingraham Holly , Simerly Richard , Shimogori Tomomi
Published: November 2010

The embryonic diencephalon gives rise to the vertebrate thalamus and hypothalamus, which play essential roles in sensory information processing and control of physiological homeostasis and behavior, respectively. In this review, we present new steps toward characterizing the molecular pathways that control development of these structures, based on findings in a variety of model organisms. We highlight advances in understanding how early regional patterning is orchestrated through the action of secreted signaling molecules such as Sonic hedgehog and fibroblast growth factors. We address the role of individual transcription factors in control of the regional identity and neural differentiation within the developing diencephalon, emphasizing the contribution of recent large-scale gene expression studies in providing an extensive catalog of candidate regulators of hypothalamic neural cell fate specification. Finally, we evaluate the molecular mechanisms involved in the experience-dependent development of both thalamo-cortical and hypothalamic neural circuitry.
Tobacco Use Harm Reduction, Elimination, and Escalation in a Large Military Cohort
Authors: Klesges Robert C. , Sherrill-Mittleman Deborah , Ebbert Jon O. , Talcott G. Wayne , DeBon Margaret
Published: November 2010

Objectives. We evaluated changing patterns of tobacco use following a period of forced tobacco abstinence in a US military cohort to determine rates of harm elimination (e.g., tobacco cessation), harm reduction (e.g., from smoking to smokeless tobacco use), and harm escalation (e.g., from smoking to dual use or from smokeless tobacco use to smoking or dual use).

Methods. Participants were 5225 Air Force airmen assigned to the health education control condition in a smoking cessation and prevention trial. Tobacco use was assessed by self-report at baseline and 12 months.

Results. Among 114 baseline smokers initiating smokeless tobacco use after basic military training, most demonstrated harm escalation (87%), which was 5.4 times more likely to occur than was harm reduction (e.g., smoking to smokeless tobacco use). Harm reduction was predicted, in part, by higher family income and belief that switching from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco is beneficial to health. Harm escalation predictors included younger age, alcohol use, longer smoking history, and risk-taking.

Conclusions. When considering a harm reduction strategy with smokeless tobacco, the tobacco control community should balance anticipated benefits of harm reduction with the risk of harm escalation and the potential for adversely affecting public health.
Body Height and Occupational Success for Actors and Actresses
Authors: Stieger Stefan , Burger Christoph
Published: November 2010

The association of body height with occupational success has been frequently studied, with previous research mainly finding a positive effect among men and positive or null effects among women. Occupational success has almost exclusively been measured so far by short-term success variables (e.g., annual income). In the present study, the relationship of success and height was examined in a group of actors and actresses using a large online database about movies (Internet Movie Database) where heights of actors and actresses are stated. The number of roles played in movies and television series during each actor's lifetime was used as a measure of long-term occupational success. No height effect was found for male actors but a significant negative effect was found for actresses, even after controlling for possible confounding influences (age and birth year). Compared to the general population, actors and actresses were significantly taller; however, actresses who were shorter than average were more likely to achieve greater occupational success, in terms of being featured in more movies.
Self-Regulated Learning: The Role of Environmental Perceptions and Motivational Beliefs
Authors: Kharrazi Alinaghi , Kareshki Hossein
Published: November 2010

To examine the correlations among environmental perceptions, motivational beliefs, and self-regulated learning of Tehran third-year high school boys based on a proposed model, multistage cluster-sampling method gave a sample of 685 students. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990), Students' Achievement Goal Orientations (Midgley, Kaplan, Middleton, Maehr, Urdan, Anderman, et al., 1998), Students' Perceptions of Classroom Activities (Gentry, Gable, & Rizza, 2002), and Perceptions of Parents Scales (Grolnick, Deci, & Ryan, 1997) were administered. Analysis showed relations among components of self-regulated learning, family environmental perceptions, perceptions of classroom activities, and motivational beliefs. Structural equation modeling indicated the proposed model had an acceptable fit to the data. All paths or structural coefficients of the proposed model were statistically significant.
Job Burnout: toward an Integration of Two Dominant Resource-Based Models
Authors: Akhtar Syed , Lee Jenny S. Y.
Published: November 2010

The goal of this study was to integrate the job demands-resources model and the conservation of resources model of job burnout into a unified theoretical framework. The data were collected through a mail questionnaire survey among nurses holding managerial positions in the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong. From a computer-generated random sample of nurses, 543 (84.3% women) returned usable surveys, amounting to a response rate of 24.2%. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed paths originating from job demands and job resources to the core job burnout dimensions, namely, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Results supported the integrated model, indicating that job demands and job resources had differing effects on the burnout dimensions. The effect of job demands was stronger and partially mediated the effect of job resources. Implications of the results from this study on management practices were discussed.
The Personality Correlates of Adults Who Had Imaginary Companions in Childhood
Authors: Kidd Evan , Rogers Paul , Rogers Christine
Published: November 2010

Two studies showed that adults who reported having an imaginary companion as a child differed from adults who did not on certain personality dimensions. The first yielded a higher mean on the Gough Creative Personality Scale for the group who had imaginary companions. Study 2 showed that such adults scored higher on the Achievement and Absorption subscales of Tellegen's Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire. The results suggest that some differences reported in the developmental literature may be observed in adults.
Measuring Well-Being among Spanish Older Adults: Development of a Simplified Version of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being
Authors: Villar Feliciano , Triadó Carme , Celdrán Montserrat , Solé Carme
Published: November 2010

Two studies were designed to develop and obtain information about the psychometric properties of a shortened 54-item, Spanish version of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-being adapted to older people. In Study 1, 267 older people completed the scales, and data were submitted to a principal components analysis. Then, 22 items were selected and grouped into four components (Self-confidence, Orientation to present, Stress, and Social tension) to form the Simplified Ryff's Well-being Scales. In Study 2, the new scales were administered to 107 older people. While internal consistency estimates were similar to those generally obtained for the 54-item scale, results extracted from a confirmatory factor analysis did not support any factorial model. Although the simplified scales can distinguish between conceptually different approaches to well-being, further studies are needed to obtain estimates of reliability and validity.
Association between Alexithymia, Neuroticism, and Social Desirability Scores among Italian Graduate Students
Authors: Messina Antonino , Fogliani Anna Maria , Paradiso Sergio
Published: November 2010

An inverse correlation between social desirability and alexithymia has been observed in undergraduate students in Japan and Australia. It is not clear how this association is influenced by the personality dimension of neuroticism. This study examined the association of scores on social desirability with those on alexithymia controlled for neuroticism, in a sample of 111 Italian graduate students, with age range of 24 to 58 years. Students completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (short form) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20 (TAS–20). Social desirability scores inversely correlated with TAS–20 total scores, neuroticism scores, and the TAS–20 subscale, Difficulty identifying feelings. Neuroticism directly correlated with TAS–20 total score, Difficulty identifying feelings, and Difficulty describing feelings. Students with higher alexithymia and neuroticism scores seem to present themselves in less socially desirable ways. The correlation of social desirability with alexithymia was moderated by higher neuroticism scores.
Financial Stress, Attitudes toward Money, and Scores on a Dream Inventory
Authors: Kroth Jerry , Mann Sonia , Cervantes Carolina , Jaffe Matthew , Ristic Vera
Published: November 2010

During stock market losses in 2009 and high unemployment, ratings on the KJP Dream Inventory were correlated with factors of the Money Attitude Scale and items on the Contemporary Financial Stress Inventory for 71 graduate students in Counseling Psychology and Education. Correlations were significant for Retention on the Money Attitude Scale with Dissociative Avoidance (−.31), Dreams of falling (.26), Risk-taking in dreams (.24), and Dreaming of being chased (.28). Also, ratings for the Money Attitude Scale of Distrust correlated with Discontentedness in dreams (.33) and Dreams of being chased (.26), Repetitive trauma (.33), Nightmares (.30), and Recurring nightmares (.35). Concern about retention in graduate school due to finances correlated with recalled frequencies of nightmares (.27) and dreams of flying (.25).
Cognitive Biases and Decision Making in Gambling
Authors: Chóliz Mariano
Published: November 2010

Heuristics and cognitive biases can occur in reasoning and decision making. Some of them are very common in gamblers (illusion of control, representativeness, availability, etc.). Structural characteristics and functioning of games of chance favor the appearance of these biases. Two experiments were conducted with nonpathological gamblers. The first experiment was a game of dice with wagers. In the second experiment, the participants played two bingo games. Specific rules of the games favored the appearance of cognitive bias (illusion of control) and heuristics (representativeness and availability) and influence on the bets. Results and implications for gambling are discussed.
Self-Awareness Training Associated with Personality Traits and Sex: A Pilot Study
Authors: Visani Giuseppe , Venturi Piero , Isidori Alessandro , Tronconi Sauro
Published: November 2010

107 volunteers learning Reiki-Do self-awareness techniques participated in this study. Results indicate that personality traits in healthy participants might be affected by specific self-awareness training, such as Reiki-Do, with participants' sex playing an independent role.
Psychosexual Fixation and Defense Mechanisms in a Sample of Young Japanese Women: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Mogami Tamiko
Published: November 2010

The present pilot study examined psychosexual fixations and defense mechanisms in a sample of young Japanese women. The Lexical Rorschach count and the Defense Mechanisms Inventory were administered to 24 female college students. Sadism on the Lexical Rorschach count was positively correlated with Reversal of Affect. Phallic fixation on the Lexical Rorschach count was positively correlated with Projection. Psychoanalytic hypotheses about the associations between psychosexual fixations and defense mechanisms were partially confirmed.
Sweden: Income and Suicide
Authors: Magnusson Sara , Mäkinen Ilkka Henrik
Published: November 2010

-Previous publications have reported two conflicting patterns describing the relationship between income and suicide in Sweden; positive and negative. Methodologically the studies have differed, and the analysis has been limited to a few areas. To better understand the relationship, a nationwide, cross-sectional, ecological study of the 290 municipalities in Sweden was planned. OLS regression analyses showed the overall and female suicide rates were negatively related to income, while the effect on male suicide rates was not statistically significant. The results confirm earlier findings of a negative relationship between income and suicide.
A Hierarchical Linear Modeling Assessment of Dual-Addiction Status and Change in Sexual Compulsivity over Time
Authors: Wright Paul J.
Published: November 2010

This study examined the association between dual-addiction status and sexual compulsivity over time in a sample of self-identified sexually compulsive males. Hierarchical linear modeling was utilized to address the study's research questions. Dually addicted sexually compulsive males exhibited lower rates of sexual compulsivity than their singularly addicted counterparts initially but displayed less precipitous declines in sexual compulsiveness over time. Implications for treatment providers are discussed.
Differential Effect of Lesion Side on Intra-Individual Variability in Children with Focal Lateralized Epilepsy
Authors: Van Iterson Loretta
Published: November 2010

A differential impact of hemispheric side (left vs right) on cognitive measures, specifically Verbal and Performance IQ, has been described previously for both focal onset seizures and lateralized brain lesions. This study revealed a differential effect on intra-individual variability, measured as subtest scaled-score range, on the Dutch WISC–R and WISC–III, in children with epilepsy. The presence of documented brain lesion was associated with elevated variability on the Verbal Scale for the left hemisphere seizure group and with decreased variability on the Verbal and Full Scales for the right hemisphere seizure group.
A Reliability Generalization Study of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (F–MPS)
Authors: Ha Jung Hee , Lee Sang Min , Puig Ana
Published: November 2010

Perfectionism has been identified as a common concern among clients who seek counseling services. For more than 20 years, the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (F–MPS) has been used extensively to measure the construct of individuals' perfectionism. The current study used reliability generalization to identify the average score reliability as well as variables explaining the variability of score reliability. Typical reliability across subscale scores ranged from .71 to .86 with the Doubt about Action subscale showing the least variability and the Organization subscale showing the most. In addition, sex, language, and standard deviation of the scale had statistically significant relations to reliability estimates.
Associations between Climate and IQ in the United States of America
Authors: Ryan Joseph J. , Bartels Jared M. , Townsend James M.
Published: November 2010

Relations between average temperature of each of the 48 contiguous states and estimates of state IQ were inspected. Additional state variables were controlled in the correlational analyses, namely gross state product, percent Hispanic, Black, and Asian in the state population, and the pupil-to-teacher ratio for each state. A significant correlation between average temperature and state IQ was found ( r = -.70, p<.001). Possible explanations are discussed.
Gender Label and Perceived Infant Emotionality: A Partial Replication of a Classic Study
Authors: Steuer Faye B. , Bode Blair C. , Rada Kelley A. , Hittner James B.
Published: November 2010

In a study often referred to as “classic,” Condry and Condry (1976) showed a videotaped infant to participants, telling half of them the infant was a boy and half it was a girl. Participants who thought they were viewing a boy rated the infant's reaction to a jack-in-the-box as anger; those who thought they were viewing a girl rated the reaction as fear. Participants in the present partial replication of the Condrys' study did not rate the infant differently based on the infant's gender label, although there was evidence that participants' own sex affects their perception of an infant's emotionality. Results were discussed in light of inconsistent results among other gender-labeling studies and relevant methodological, historical, and theoretical issues.
Perceived Psychosocial Benefits Associated with Perceived Restorative Potential of Wilderness River-Rafting Trips
Authors: Garg R. , Couture R. T. , Ogryzlo T. , Schinke R.
Published: November 2010

Analysis of the restorative experiences and psychosocial benefits of wilderness river rafting trips of varying difficulty with 186 Canadian participants of different ages supported the restorative potential of natural settings for all age groups as measured by the Perceived Restorativeness Scale. The two-factor structure (General Restorativeness and Coherence) was confirmed. Significant associations were found between scores on the General Restorative subscale and perceived psychosocial benefits (relaxation, nature appreciation or kinship, and physical fitness or achievement) and positive affect. However, the findings associated with the Coherence subscale were not conclusive.
Metamemory Beliefs and Episodic Memory in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Authors: Daurat Agnès , Huet Nathalie , Tiberge Michel
Published: November 2010

This study assessed metamemory and its role in actual episodic memory performance in 26 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and 27 healthy controls. Metamemory knowledge and memory beliefs were assessed using the Metamemory Inventory in Adulthood. Episodic memory performance was investigated with the Remember/Know paradigm. Subjective sleepiness was evaluated. Patients underwent a polysomnographic assessment. In contrast to the control group's more stable memory beliefs, patients self-assessed their memory as declining across time, and felt more anxious about their memory. There was only a modest difference between patients' self-perceptions of their memory capacities and those of the control group, but patients' actual memory performance was strongly disturbed. While the later was significantly correlated with severity of obstructive sleep apnea, scores on the Metamemory Inventory in Adulthood scales were not correlated with physiological measures, subjective sleepiness, or episodic memory performance. Obstructive sleep apnea may affect prefrontal cortex functioning and hence the ability to assess one's own memory impairment.
Poet Interrupted: Differences in the Emotionality and Imagery of Byron's Poetry Associated with His Turbulent Mid-Career Years in England
Authors: Whissell Cynthia
Published: November 2010

The Dictionary of Affect in Language was employed to compare two parts of Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, written before and after an interruption of several turbulent years in England. The post-interruption part of the poem employed fewer extreme emotional words and more abstract words than the pre-interruption part. In a second analysis, poems written during the interruption and poems written before and after Childe Harold were examined, along with it, in terms of emotion, imagery, and linguistic richness. Two variables—year and an interruption dummy coded as 1 for publications between 1812.5 and 1816.17—predicted observed differences accurately. Byron's poetry became linguistically richer, more abstract, and less passionate across time, and it was emotionally more negative and linguistically simpler during the turbulent years. Differences between the two parts of Childe Harold were best explained on the basis of time-dependent growth curves rather than the interruption.
A Half-Mile Walk Decreases Visual Acuity in Active Older People
Authors: de Oliveira Filho Ciro Winckler , Dias Roges Ghidini , Tavares Graziela Morgana Silva , Santos Gilmar Moraes , Mazo Giovana Zarpellon
Published: November 2010

The influence of a half-mile walk on the visual acuity of older people who engaged in physical activity was examined. 91 elderly people of both sexes (20 men, 71 women; M age = 69 yr., SD = 6) participated. All were assessed before and after the half-mile walking test for visual acuity (Snellen Optotype Scale) and heart rate. The data indicated a significant decrease in visual acuity as a result of the half-mile test.
Predicting Subjective Vitality and Performance in Sports: The Role of Passion and Achievement Goals
Authors: Li Chiung-Huang
Published: November 2010

The major purpose of this study was to test the hypothesized paths from dualistic passions through achievement goals to subjective vitality and performance in sports. 645 high school athletes participated. The proposed structural equation model, with relationships between dualistic passions and subjective vitality and sports performance mediated by achievement goals, fit the data well, especially for mastery-approach and performance-approach goals. Harmonious and obsessive passions may lead athletes to high performance via the adoption of mastery-approach goals. However, these passions seem to have two paths influencing personal functioning: direct effects make players feel energetic, and indirect effects on subjective vitality through adoption of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals.
Background Music and Cognitive Performance
Authors: Angel Leslie A. , Polzella Donald J. , Elvers Greg C.
Published: November 2010

The present experiment employed standardized test batteries to assess the effects of fast-tempo music on cognitive performance among 56 male and female university students. A linguistic processing task and a spatial processing task were selected from the Criterion Task Set developed to assess verbal and nonverbal performance. Ten excerpts from Mozart's music matched for tempo were selected. Background music increased the speed of spatial processing and the accuracy of linguistic processing. The findings suggest that background music can have predictable effects on cognitive performance.
Prevalence and Acceptance of Tattoos and Piercings: A Survey of Young Adults from the Southern German-Speaking Area of Central Europe
Authors: Stieger Stefan , Pietschnig Jakob , Kastner Cornelia K. , Voracek Martin , Swami Viren
Published: November 2010

The present study examined the prevalence and acceptance of body piercings and tattoos among a community sample from the southern German-speaking area of Central Europe. A total of 440 respondents completed information about their own body piercings and tattoos and reported whether they would be likely never to have piercings and tattoos in the future. Analyses indicated that 19.8 and 15.2% of respondents had piercings (excluding the earlobe) and tattoos, respectively. Women were more likely to have body piercings than men, but there were no sex differences in tattooing. There were also few sociodemographic differences in piercings and tattoos, and most participants reported being likely to consider body art in the future. These results are considered in relation to prevalence estimates of body art in other Western countries and the associated health risks.
The Effect of Temporal Uncertainty on Negative Priming
Authors: Mizuno Rika , Matsui Takao
Published: November 2010

The purpose of this study was to assess whether the temporal uncertainty of stimuli appearance influences negative priming. A simple reaction time measure of temporal uncertainty was introduced and showed that temporal uncertainty varied according to the response-stimulus interval (RSI). Using a design introduced by Conway in 1999 for manipulating RSIs, temporal uncertainty was shown to be measurably different for different RSI conditions, even across conditions which previous research had assumed to be equal in temporal uncertainty. This difference in temporal uncertainty partially accounted for differences in negative priming between conditions. An important implication is that research in negative priming generally should take account of temporal uncertainty, for example, by using the simple reaction time measure used here.
Mismatch Negativity and P300 to Behaviorally Perceptible and Imperceptible Temporal Contrasts
Authors: White Letitia , Stuart Andrew , Najem Fadi
Published: November 2010

The purpose of this study was to specify whether electrophysiological indices of behavioral discrimination of auditory duration could be demonstrated. Mismatch negativities and P300s were recorded to perceptible and imperceptible stimuli in 23 normal-hearing young adults. Behaviorally perceptible and imperceptible stimuli were demonstrated by measuring difference limens in a standard psychophysical procedure in a subset of participants ( n = 8). Perceptibility was further demonstrated using a standard clinical pattern-perception test and modified-duration pattern tests created for this study. Mismatch negativities and P300s were recorded with an oddball paradigm using stimuli identical to those used in behavioral testing. All participants exhibited P300s in the perceptible contrast, while responses were absent for the imperceptible contrast. Mismatch negativities were found for 18 and 5 of 23 participants to the perceptible and imperceptible contrasts, respectively. The mismatch negativity did not correspond with behavioral discrimination and, as such, one could question its clinical feasibility. The P300 more accurately reflected behavioral discrimination performance in the current paradigm.
Apparitional Experiences of New Faces and Dissociation of Self-Identity during Mirror Gazing
Authors: Caputo Giovanni B.
Published: November 2010

Apparitional experiences during mirror gazing were studied. Under low levels of illumination, individuals gazed at their own reflected faces in a mirror for a duration of 10 min. Face illumination was relatively uniform, via a nonvisible light source. After about a minute of mirror gazing, individuals reported perceiving strange faces — archetypical and often unknown, human or animal, living or departed parents with traits changed, and fantastical monstrous beings — instead of their own faces in the mirror. During these apparitions, the observers reported feeling that a strange person was watching them from within or beyond the mirror, while the observer maintained consciousness of himself looking at the strange “other.” Three psychophysical experiments were conducted on 42 naïve normal individuals. At an illumination of the face around 0.8 lux, the mean frequency of apparitions was 1.8 min.−1 and mean duration was 7 sec. per apparition. At higher illumination, the frequency of apparitional experiences decreased while the duration of mirror gazing needed for the phenomenon to occur increased. This effect may be termed “conscious dissociation of self-identity” to distinguish it from pathological unconscious dissociative identity disorder.
Workers' Adaptation Enables Work Functioning
Authors: Cronshaw Steven F. , Ong Perng Yih , Chappell Dara B.
Published: November 2010

In this study, a proposition derived from Functional Job Analysis theory was tested: that workers' adaptive skills are necessary for enabling the operation of functional skills termed Things, Data, and People in the workplace. Restated in broader terms, the veracity of the principle that workers' adaptation enables work functioning was assessed. 29 study participants were assessed on 12 theoretically derived adaptive skills using an in-depth interview methodology. The substantive complexity of the participants' present jobs was estimated by rating them on Things, Data, and People functional skills. Predictive Analysis provided strong support for the hypothesis that workers' adaptive skills enable the operation of functional skills in the workplace. Participants scored markedly better on some adaptive skills than on others. Implications are discussed for workplace adaptation and successful work functioning.
Multiaxial Evaluation of Violent Criminals
Authors: Ortiz-Tallo Margarita , Cardenal Violeta , Blanca Maria José , Sánchez Luis Miguel , Morales Inmaculada
Published: November 2010

A multiaxial assessment and personality evaluation was performed on a group of 70 people (65 men and 5 women) who were recently incarcerated in Málaga, Spain for having committed violent crimes, such as murder and sex-based violence. Analysis of scores on the MCMI indicated that there were chiefly two clearly differentiated personality profiles related to two personality disorders present in the group, the antisocial and the dependent personality disorder with compulsive traits. The “antisocial-psychotic group” presented a clear relation with clinical syndromes, specifically alcohol and drug abuse with delusional disorder, and they had committed a higher proportion of murders. On the Big Five Questionnaire, the “dependent-compulsive group” scored higher than average on Emotional Stability and Agreeableness, whereas the antisocial-psychotic group scored lower than average on Emotional Stability. These findings are in accord with those of Megargee, who concluded that violent criminals can be divided into two categories, the undercontrolled (antisocial) and the overcontrolled (dependent).
Previous Task Experience in Metacognitive Experience
Authors: Akama Kenichi
Published: November 2010

This study examined the sources of differences in the correlations among metacognitive experiences and between metacognitive experiences with performance. Task experience was treated as the source of differences. 70 Japanese undergraduate students solved two tasks, one similar to those experienced (experienced task) and the other one barely experienced previously (task not experienced). Correlations among metacognitive experiences showed outcomes of the experienced task supported findings from Efklides' laboratory, and those from a task not experienced were consistent with those of Akama and Yamauchi. The nature of metacognitive experiences in problem-solving is discussed.
Sex Differences in Surviving Suicide Attempts by Jumping: A Review
Authors: Lester David
Published: November 2010

Suicidal men and women who use jumping as their method for suicide appear to jump from similar heights. Data from suicidal jumpers from the Aurora Bridge in Seattle indicate that women have been more likely to survive than were men.
Applicability of the Planned Behavior Theory to Attitudes of Students in Early Childhood Education toward Teaching Culturally Diverse Classes: The Role of Self-Identity
Authors: Tsigilis Nikolaos , Tsioumis Konstantinos , Gregoriadis Athanasios
Published: November 2010

The present study was designed to examine the predictive utility of planned behavior theory to the multicultural education domain. One hundred and forty-eight students in early childhood studies (146 women, 2 men; M age = 21.8 yr., SD = 2.6) were asked to complete a questionnaire based on planned behavior theory to measure attitudes toward teaching multicultural classes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-identity. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the planned behavior model components explained 52.5% of the students' intentions. Addition of self-identity increased the amount of variance accounted for by the model (57.3%). It was concluded that researchers may have increased confidence when applying the planned behavior theoretical framework to study prospective educators' attitudes, and that self-identity seems to represent a useful explanatory variable.
Intensive Physical Activity and Alexithymia: Results from Swimmers' Discourse Analysis
Authors: Allegre Benjamin , Souville Marc , Noel-Jorand Marie-Christine , Pellegrin Liliane , Therme Pierre
Published: November 2010

The aim of this study was to describe and understand the relationship of swimmers' practice intensity and alexithymia features in discourse. This study investigated psychological processes in two groups of male swimmers training at different intensities. The first group was composed of 10 Expert amateurs ( M age = 19.5 yr., SD=1.9), who were competing at the national or international level and trained 22 hours per week. The second group was composed of 10 Amateur swimmers ( M age = 20.5 yr., SD =1.4), who competed at the regional level and trained 6 hours per week. The discourse of swimmers was analysed using the ALCESTE (Analyse de Lexèmes Coocurents dans les Enoncés Simples d'un Texte) method of discourse analysis. Discourse analysis was performed on speech samples produced by swimmers. All the swimmers showed alexithymic verbal behaviour as regards both the means of expression used and the feelings and emotions expressed. This lack of articulateness was more pronounced in the Expert than in the Amateur group. The difference of alexithymic features in correlation with the intensity of sport practice raises the question of the health benefits of intense sports practice and the need for psychological assessment of athletes.
Customers' Attributional Judgments towards Complaint Handling in Airline Service: A Confirmatory Study Based on Attribution Theory
Authors: Chiou Wen-Bin
Published: November 2010

Besides flight safety, complaint handling plays a crucial role in airline service. Based upon Kelley's attribution theory, in the present study customers' attributions were examined under different conditions of complaint handling by the airlines. There were 531 passengers (216 women; ages 21 to 63 years, M = 41.5, SD = 11.1) with experiences of customer complaints who were recruited while awaiting boarding. Participants received one hypothetical scenario of three attributional conditions about complaint handling and then reported their attributional judgments. The findings indicated that the passengers were most likely to attribute the company's complaint handling to unconditional compliance when the airline company reacted to customer complaints under low distinctiveness, high consistency, and when consensus among the airlines was low. On the other hand, most passengers attributed the company's complaint handling to conditional compliance under the conditions in which distinctiveness, consistency, and consensus were all high. The results provide further insights into how different policies of complaint management affect customers' attributions. Future directions and managerial implications are also discussed.
Construct Validity of Ryff's Scale of Psychological Well-Being in Spanish Older Adults
Authors: Triadó Carme , Villar Feliciano , Solé Carme , Celdrán Montserrat
Published: November 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate factorial and content validity of the 9-item per dimension Ryff's Scale of Psychological Well-being in a sample of older Spanish adults. The scale is made up of six subscales: Self-acceptance, Environmental mastery, Positive relations with others, Autonomy, Personal growth, and Purpose in life. After translating the scale, it was administered to 422 retired people ages 65 and older. The internal consistency coefficients of the subscales were modest to low, but similar to the ones reported in previous studies. Although correlation profiles of the subscales replicated previous findings and are consistent with a distinction between two types of well-being (eudaimonic and hedonic), results from a second-order principal factor analysis including alternative well-being measures are rather ambiguous. As for the proposed 6-factor structure of the scale, neither exploratory principal component analysis nor confirmatory factor analysis supported clearly this factor structure, with or without second-order latent constructs.
Concurrent Validity of the WISC-IV in Eligibility Decisions for Students with Educable Mental Disabilities
Authors: Launey Kathryn B. , Carroll James , Van Horn K. Roger
Published: November 2010

Concurrent validity of the WISC-III and WISC-IV was conducted using a sample of 35 students classified as educable mentally disabled. Full Scale IQ scores of previously administered WISC-III correlated .91 with WISC-IV Full Scale IQ scores when adjusted for restricted range. Of the previous eligibility decisions, 80% were confirmed by the WISC-IV scores. Implications of the findings and suggestions for research are discussed.
Predictors of Positive Health among a Sample of South African Adolescents
Authors: Peltzer Karl
Published: November 2010

Many studies that address adolescent health focus on risk behaviours, their predictors and outcomes, but few focus on positive health and its predictors. The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of adolescents' positive health (lack of emotional and somatic symptoms, positive subjective health and self-reported happiness), as predicted by adolescents' relationships with their parents and peers, and their perceptions of their school. The measure used was part of the Health Behaviour in School-age Children questionnaire. The sample included 515 South African Grade 8 secondary school students (51.8% Black, 48.2% White; 40.8% boys and 59.2% girls; M age 15.5 yr., SD=1.6, range 14–18) chosen at random from three urban schools in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. Analysis indicated that positive perceptions of the school and parental relations were identified as significant and positive peer and siblings relationships as nonsignificant predictors for indicators of positive health.
Congruence of Holland's Theory of Vocational and Work Environments with GPA of College Students in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Al Khatib Saleh A.
Published: November 2010

Holland's theory of vocational personalities and work environment, extended to educational environments, was used as a theoretical framework for the study of the relation of congruence and sex on self-reported GPA. 617 students at Ajman University of Science and Technology responded to the Vocational Preference Inventory. Analysis of variance indicated that students' congruence and sex were significant predictors of GPA and the interaction of GPA and sex. Associations of sex with congruence and with Academic Environment were significant, represented by choice of major. Implications of the findings were discussed.