bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Race on the Use of Physicians' Services
Authors: Fichtenbaum Rudy , Gyimah-Brempong Kwabena
Published: May 2005

In recent years several studies have examined the role of race in determining both health care status and access to care. Most studies in this area have focused primarily on health care status, although the issue of access is often mentioned. While there are many reasons for differences in health status, access to resources may play an important role. Using a Poisson regression, a decomposition analysis, and data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey, the authors of this article show that significant differences remain in the number of physician office visits for whites and African-Americans. The proportion of the racial differences in the number of office visits not explained by differences in objective factors is relatively large. In fact, the results show that a considerable part of the racial differential can be explained by differential responses to these objective factors. This implies that, even if all the objective factors that affect the demand for visits are equalized across race, significant differences in the utilization of health care services will remain.
Semantic Fields and Metaphor: Going beyond Theory
Authors: Goodblatt Chanita
Published: May 2005

This study focused on metaphor comprehension in a poetic text in terms of the concepts of “semantic field,” “semantic restructuring,” and “perceptual restructuring.” Three poetic texts, differentiated in terms of the number of semantic fields and in the degree of their interaction, were given to readers of English language and literature. They were asked to analyze a number of metaphors appearing within the context of each text and also to rate them along a number of scales (such as Concrete-Abstract). Specific semantic fields could be derived from the written responses. Furthermore, consistent relationships were found between these ratings and the degree of interaction of these semantic fields. The results lend further support for a Gestalt-Interaction theory of metaphor.
Computer Icons: A Picture Says a Thousand Words. Or Does It?
Authors: Zammit Katina
Published: May 2005

A classification system to code different types of icons was developed and used to determine which icons proved difficult for students to read. Using a naturalistic methodology, ten upper primary (elementary) students were asked about their understandings of pictorial, textual (simple single-modality), and combination icons drawn from two CD-ROM programs. Their perceptions were categorized according to the icon classification system over three levels of interaction: a) initial viewing; b) with pop-up label; and c) after interaction. Students' understandings of navigation icons depended on the type of icon and the level of interaction. Pictorial icons were not “transparent” in relation to their function, nor were all the textual icons, and, for some icons, the pop-up labels did not assist the students' perceptions. Thus, it is clear that pictures are not inherently easier to read. It is also clear that some of the assumptions about the perceptibility of pictorial navigation icons and benefits of pop-up labels are probably ill-founded and it is essential that strategies to initiate students into the reading of icons in CD-ROM programs be developed. Software developers also need to take into consideration the types of pictorial icons they employ if they are to increase the accessibility of their products to younger users.
Physician's Death Anxiety and Patient Outcomes
Authors: Schulz Richard , Aderman David
Published: May 2005

It was hypothesized that terminal patients of physicians with high death anxiety would survive longer during their final hospital stay than terminal patients of physicians with low death anxiety. This was based on the reasoning that physicians high in death anxiety would be less willing to accept their patients' terminality and therefore would be more likely to use heroic measures to keep them alive. Hospital physicians were asked to complete a death anxiety scale over the telephone. Unknown to them, hospital records were later examined to determine the number of patients treated by each physician, the number that died, the length of final hospital stay of dying patients and the length of stay in the hospital of non-dying patients. As predicted, patients of physicians with high death anxiety were in the hospital an average of five days longer before dying than patients treated by physicians of medium and low death anxiety.
Leisure Activities, Stress, and Health among Bereaved and Non-Bereaved Elderly Men: The Normative Aging Study
Authors: Fitzpatrick Tanya R. , Spiro Avron , Kressin Nancy R. , Greene Evelyn , Bossé Raymond
Published: May 2005

Few studies have examined the effect that a resource such as leisure activities might have on the relationship between stress and health among elderly men. Data from the Normative Aging Study (NAS) were used to examine whether specific groups of leisure activities (social, solitary, and mixed activities; activities performed either alone or with others) moderated the effect of stress on the health of elderly men and whether there were differences in this effect between bereaved and non-bereaved men. The sample of 799 men was divided into two groups: a group bereaved of family and friends and a group of non-bereaved. Hierarchical regression analyses compared an initial model, a direct effect model, and a moderating model. The results indicate that for both groups of men, mixed leisure activities moderated the effect of stress on physical but not mental health. Additionally, for the bereaved group, social activities moderated the effects of stress on physical health. The negative effects of life stressors (other than bereavement) can be moderated by engaging in leisure activities for both bereaved and non-bereaved elderly men. Implications of the findings for future practice and research are discussed.
The Motivated Sequence and the Environmental Impact Statement
Authors: Plung Daniel L.
Published: May 2005

The motivated sequence is a strategy which, by allowing the writer to organize ideas in a pattern corresponding to the stages inherent in the natural thought processes, can help improve technical communication. It is especially valuable in documents that are an intrinsic part of the decision making procedure, as is the case with the Environmental Impact Statement. This article explains the motivated sequence and, using the Environmental Impact Statement as an example, demonstrates how its use can improve technical communication.
Stoppard: What Passion Weaves by Reason is Undone
Authors: Schneiderman Leo
Published: May 2005

Stoppard's dramatic works are explored with reference to the vicissitudes of directed fantasy in playwriting. It is assumed that unconscious factors play a significant role in providing the playwright with the raw materials for wit and humor, surrealistic fantasy, and the motivation to examine ethical issues. Specifically, three hypotheses are examined: 1) the use of manic, surrealistic stage devices, wit, comedy and satire is linked, in Stoppard's case, with early parental loss and resulting defenses; 2) obsessive intellectualization in stage dialogue serves as a defense against oedipal hostility and rebelliousness; and 3) fantasies about spies and counterspies provide a vehicle to affirm aspects of the ego-ideal, emphasizing the possibility of human valor in a fictional world portrayed as selfish and corrupt. The ego-ideal also figures in Stoppard's examination of love relationships, a minor motif in Stoppard's cerebral plays. Although no attempt is made to assess Stoppard's contribution as a dramatist, the reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions as to what Stoppard has gained or lost as an artist by his general subordination of emotional factors to intellectual issues in his work.
Professionalization of South African Nursing: Who Benefits?
Authors: Rispel Laetitia , Schneider Helen
Published: May 2005

In this article the authors present a critical and alternative view of the reasons for and nature of professionalism in nursing, with particular reference to the South African situation. They show that professionalizing strategies have not necessarily been in the interests of the majority of nurses or of health care. First, some background information is given on the process of professionalization: its emergence worldwide and in South Africa, partly as a response of a predominantly female group to the power, prestige, and privilege held in the health sector by a predominantly male medical profession. The process in South African nursing is outlined, with particular emphasis on how this has paralleled political developments in South Africa. The proletarianization of a large body of nurses is examined as a contradictory trend to professionalization. The second part of the article is an analysis of the consequences of the professionalization process, which has had deleterious effects on the provision of health care as well as on relationships amongst nurses, their colleagues, and their communities.
An Evaluation of an Urban Health Department's Prenatal Education Program
Authors: Earp Jo Anne L. , Thomas Rosalind P. , McCandless Michael W. , Ory Marcia G. , Carr Patricia A.
Published: May 2005

This study evaluated the impact of a prenatal patient education program on the knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women receiving care from an urban health department clinic. The evaluation was undertaken to determine whether attendance at prenatal classes was related to either higher levels of pregnancy-specific knowledge or more favorable attitudes toward childbearing and child rearing. Data were collected from 139 nulliparous and primiparous women; 43 percent had not attended any classes and served as a comparison group. Analyses were performed within strata formed by stage of pregnancy and levels of parity, as well as for the sample as a whole. Despite high levels of satisfaction with the instruction, class attendance and knowledge were not related for nulliparous women or among those in the early stages of pregnancy. However, class attenders in the third trimester ( p < .05) or who had already given birth ( p < .02) had significantly higher knowledge scores. With the exception of an indirect relationship between classes and the intention to breastfeed, no difference in attitudes was found. It would appear that prenatal patients at different points in their pregnancy may differ in their level of knowledge, possibly as a result of variability in their motivation to learn, without differing in their attitudes toward child rearing. Multiple methods and an individualized approach to prenatal education are therefore recommended. Suggestions for program changes based on general principles of health education are presented.
Images Can Be More Powerful Than Memories
Authors: Tracy Robert J. , Fricano Guy , Greco Nicholas
Published: May 2005

There appear to be circumstances under which images are more powerful than memories. Research indicates that people who rate how easily concrete words (e.g., FLOWER) arouse images—rather than memories—give higher ratings and also subsequently show better word recall. The present study extended the above findings by having college students answer a variety of questions rating either images or memories (e.g., “How easily can you image [or remember] a FLOWER?”). The results consistently showed the superiority of imagery over memory ratings, and also that imagery superiority was not due to the self-reference effect, wherein students related information to themselves. Two alternative interpretations were proposed. First, imagery ratings may be special because they enhance processing, perhaps as suggested by the coding redundancy hypothesis. Alternatively, memory ratings may limit processing by contributing more to maintenance than elaborative rehearsal.
Learning Disabled Students' Engaged Time and Classroom Interaction: The Impact of Computer Assisted Instruction
Authors: Macarthur Charles A. , Haynes Jacqueline A. , Malouf David B.
Published: May 2005

The affective, social, and behavioral responses of learning disabled students to computer assisted instruction are important both as significant outcomes themselves and as variables that may influence achievement. This study investigated two sets of variables that might influence achievement differences between computer assisted drill and practice (CADP) and independent seat-work: engaged time and interactions with teachers and peers. Twenty-four learning disabled students in six self-contained classrooms were observed during CADP and seatwork. During CADP, students spent significantly more time attending to academic content (engaged time) and waiting and significantly less time off task. Total time interacting with teachers and peers did not differ, but the type of help students received from teachers and the amount of time teachers and students spent watching were different. Implications for research and implementation of microcomputers in special education settings are discussed.
Euthanasia Acceptance as Related to Afterlife Belief and Other Attitudes
Authors: Klopfer Frederick J. , Price William F.
Published: May 2005

In recent years, euthanasia has become a topic of increased concern. Predictions were made regarding the relationship between attitudes toward euthanasia and various other attitudinal components of death and dying. Information on these attitudes was obtained from fixed-schedule interviews gathered from 331 respondents in Lubbock, Texas. It was found that a favorable attitude toward euthanasia coincided with (1) belief in an afterlife, (2) a less favorable attitude toward euthanasia if relatives make the decision, and (3) younger respondents. Additionally, belief in an afterlife was related to preference for death by natural causes. Other predictions were not verified. The implications of these results are discussed.
Eight Cases of Patients with Unfounded Fear of AIDS
Authors: Vuorio Klaus A. , Äärelä Erkki , Lehtinen Ville
Published: May 2005

This article describes eight cases of patients treated at the Psychiatric Department of the University Central Hospital of Turku (UCHT) Finland who all had as a common feature an unfounded fear of AIDS. Three of the patients committed suicide and one of them had overt suicidal tendencies. An unfounded fear of AIDS may be a sign of psychiatric disturbance with increased suicidal risk. Increased fear of AIDS seems to have correlation with media and counselling services. Owing to the fact that these patients primarily seek medical help from other fields of medicine than psychiatry, they are a new problem especially for general hospital psychiatry.
Temperament, Cognitive Ability, Emotion Knowledge, and Adaptive Social Behavior
Authors: Izard Carroll E. , Schultz David , Fine Sarah E. , Youngstrom Eric , Ackerman Brian P.
Published: May 2005

Few studies have related emotion knowledge to positive behavioral outcomes in middle childhood, and none of these included both temperament and cognitive ability in the analysis. In the present study of 166 seven-year-old children from economically disadvantaged families, we show that temperamental inhibition, cognitive ability, a traditionally studied index of emotion knowledge (emotion recognition), and emotion memories contribute to the concurrent prediction of adaptive social behavior. We also found that temperament and cognitive ability relate significantly to emotion recognition which, in turn, partially mediates the relations of inhibition and cognitive ability to adaptive social behavior. Emotion memories relate significantly to the behavioral outcome after removing the variance due to inhibition, cognitive ability, and emotion recognition. We argue that compared to memories tagged simply as good (pleasant) or bad (unpleasant) events, discrete emotion memories have greater adaptive value because they provide more useful information and have the capacity to facilitate the anticipation and management of emotion arousal.
Piagetian Formal Operations and other Cognitive Correlates of Achievement in Computer Programming
Authors: Cafolla Ralph
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine if success in writing computer programs is related to level of cognitive development, verbal ability, and mathematics reasoning. Subjects were drawn from students enrolled in beginning computer programming classes. Each subject was given the School and College Ability Test (SCAT II) test to assess mathematics and verbal levels and the Inventory of Piaget's Developmental Tasks (IPDT) to assess level of cognitive development. The instructor's final examination was used as a measure of computer programming ability. This study supports prior research showing mathematics reasoning and verbal ability were each significant predictors of success in computer programming. Level of cognitive development, as defined by Piaget, also predicts success in computer programming ability. Regression analysis showed that level of cognitive development, when combined with verbal reasoning, is linearly predictive of programming ability.
Follow-up Study of Twenty Narcotics Addicts
Authors: Browning Diane H.
Published: May 2005

A follow-up study of twenty narcotics addicts admitted to a university hospital is described. Only seven patients were free of addictions at time of follow-up. Ability of patients to follow through with aftercare was remarkably poor, and relapse rate was especially high among those patients who returned to the addict community. Relapse rate among patients treated on the psychiatric service was less than for those treated on the medical service. Family history of alcoholism in particular was associated with a poor prognosis. Other factors which seemed to have some bearing on prognosis are described. A discussion of some of the problems encountered in treating the narcotics addict is included.
The Escalating Number of Uninsured in the United States
Authors: Summer Laura
Published: May 2005

Data from the Census Bureau's Annual Report on Poverty show that 37.4 million Americans—two million more than the previous year—had no health insurance during 1992. The proportion of people with no health insurance also increased from 14.1 percent in 1991 to 14.7 percent in 1992. This is the largest annual increase—both in the number of people and the proportion of the population lacking health care coverage—since 1987, the first year for which comparable data are available. In 1987, the Census data show, 31 million people—12.9 percent of the population—were not covered by health insurance. Both the number of people and the proportion of the population without health insurance have increased each year since 1987. Not all of the changes from one year to the next were statistically significant. Between 1991 and 1992, however, the increases both in the number of people without insurance and the proportion of the population lacking insurance were statistically significant. The Bureau reported that 36.9 million Americans were poor in 1992, which represented the largest number of poor people in 30 years. Among the poor, 28.5 percent had no health insurance in 1992. Lack of insurance was not limited to the poor, however. Of those without insurance in 1992, more than 70 percent were above the poverty line.
Assigning Blame: The Restoration of the “Sentimental Order” following an Accidental Death
Authors: Doka Kenneth J. , Schwarz Eric
Published: May 2005

Two drowning incidents in large municipal swimming pools were studied. In both, a similar process was observed in which an attempt was made to restore the “sentimental order” which had been fractured by the drownings. This was accomplished through discussion by staff members. This continued until a consensus was reached that generally absolved staff of blame and assigned it elsewhere. Two factors may have influenced this process in the incidences observed; the degree of outside validation, and the social value of the victims.
Measuring Microcomputer Literacy
Authors: Dologite D. G.
Published: May 2005

This article discusses the results of an on-going research study to measure microcomputer literacy. College students are surveyed about their previously acquired microcomputer literacy before taking a microcomputer course. The objective of the survey is to determine if students have enough preparation for an enriched course. The study, the methodology, and a detailed comparative analysis of results from fifty-four student cases divided between the 1985 and 1986 school years are discussed. A microcomputer literacy index is developed to measure average student literacy, to compare literacy from one class year to another, and to rank students in order of literacy. Implications for broader applications of the method used are discussed.
Theme-Focused Group Therapy on a Pediatric Ward
Authors: Cofer Dorcas H. , Nir Yehuda
Published: May 2005

Hospitalization for children may be a traumatic experience which can result in varying degrees of depression and anxiety. To help children deal with their negative reactions to illness and hospitalization the departments of psychiatry and pediatrics at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York introduced a program of theme-focused group sessions for pediatric patients. The group concerned itself with issues of the hospital experience including 1) lack of, or distortion of, factual information, and 2) fantasies, fears and anxieties related to hospitalization. The group also served as a diagnostic tool by allowing the observation of children's reactions to their hospitalization; as an educational experience for non-psychiatric hospital personnel to learn about children's development and psychological functioning; and to reduce the anxiety level of the children, lessen hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and resistance to hospital procedures.
Carl Ludwig Schleich, a Scientist as a Pseudoscientist: A Psychological Explanation
Authors: Windholz George
Published: May 2005

The aim of this article is to propose the psychological processes that contributed to the transformation of a scientist into a pseudoscientist. The case of Carl Ludwig Schleich (1859–1922) is presented. Schleich, a noted inventor of an effective procedure of local anesthesia, propagated, during the last years of his life, pseudoscientific views and mystical theses. It is proposed that Schleich's propagation of the views were an expression of his artistic predilections and a reaction to early loss of his mother and persistent conflicts with his father.
Gender and Objectivity in Medicine
Authors: Ehrenreich Barbara
Published: May 2005

Medicine in the United States has been an overwhelmingly male profession since the emergence of the modern medical profession in the late 19th century. Historically the exclusion of women from medical training was justified on the grounds that females are innately less capable of scientific objectivity than males. However, a brief examination of gynecological theory and practice advanced by male physicians over the last 100 years reveals that medical “science” has been and continues to be permeated with sex prejudices. The direction of the bias in the medical care of women has been to reinforce traditional social roles for women. In addition, nonobjectivity in the medical care of women has been directly detrimental to women's health. It is urged that medicine discard old prejudices and develop a firmer scientific basis.
Loss of the Assumptive World—How We Deal with Death and Loss
Authors: Beder Joan
Published: May 2005

The assumptive world concept refers to the assumptions or beliefs that ground, secure, stabilize, and orient people. They are our core beliefs. In the face of death and trauma, these beliefs are shattered and disorientation and even panic can enter the lives of those affected. In essence, the security of their beliefs has been aborted. This article will look at the concept of the assumptive world, how attachments are impacted by its violation, and will make suggestions for intervention for those who work to rebuild survivors of loss.
Parental Bereavement in Anglo American History
Authors: Smart Laura S.
Published: May 2005

Contemporary bereaved parents who usually lack prior experience with the death of an infant or young child also lack understanding of how parents reacted in previous centuries when a child died. This article reviews social science writing on parental bereavement in Anglo-American history, concluding that parents as early as the early seventeenth century have left records of their grief. Cultural understanding and customs surrounding death have changed, and around 1800 women began to leave records of their grief in letters and diaries. Emotional expressiveness following infant death was greatest during the nineteenth century, but decreased toward the end of the century and became taboo in the twentieth. Compared to men's, expressions of grief by women and writings directed toward women have been more expressive of emotion. Relatively little has been written about parental bereavement in the early and mid-twentieth century.
The Viral Model for AIDS: Paradigmatic Dominance, Politics, or Best Approximation of Reality?
Authors: Pezza Paul E.
Published: May 2005

In 1981, a non-infectious disease hypothesis was offered by the Centers for Disease Control to explain the cluster of atypical pneumonias which had appeared among gay men in the United States. Although quickly supplanted by the now widely held viral hypothesis and largely ignored by professional and media sources, that view has persisted. This article raises the question of why one explanation for the epidemic of immune system suppression has dominated the discourse on AIDS, despite the anomalies attributed to it by the proponents of other viewpoints. Alternative responses to the question are set forth drawing upon literatures in the philosophy of science and public policy formulation. Some discussion is provided of what the consequences may be if one of the contrarian hypotheses proves to be the closer approximation to the truth about AIDS etiology.
Authoring Systems: The Key to Lesson Development
Authors: Pogue Richard E.
Published: May 2005

An authoring system is a key computer tool for facilitating the creation of instructional lessons (courseware) for the computer. While authoring systems have been around for many years, few if any have had both the flexibility and power needed to create sophisticated instructional materials. This article describes what is meant by an authoring system, and why educators should consider using one. The specifications for what we believe is a new generation of authoring system is then presented, with a detailed description of the capabilities which should be included. Finally, we present the results of our efforts in creating and using an authoring system with the desired characteristics.
Problems of Communication in Project Planning and Development
Authors: Henkel Geoffrey G.
Published: May 2005

The author, a senior civil engineer with the National Capital Development Commission in Canberra, Australia, comments on communication problems in planning and development pertaining to his work with the Commission. Communication networks should be structured, with the project manager eliciting inputs from various disciplines. Engineering standards must be maintained and environmental, social, and economic factors incorporated. The author also comments on the consensus process, visual displays, and the proposal process. The concerns of minorities must be taken into consideration.
Mental Scanning of Images Constructed from Visual Experience or Verbal Descriptions: The Impact of Survey versus Route Perspective
Authors: Chabanne Vanessa , Péruch Patrick , Denis Michel , Thinus-Blanc Catherine
Published: May 2005

Mental scanning was used to assess the metric properties of mental spatial representations derived from visual experience or the processing of a verbal description, and either from survey or route perspective. Participants were asked to mentally scan their images of a spatial environment they had learned in one of the following four conditions: Visual-Survey, Visual-Route, Verbal-Survey, and Verbal-Route. No difference was found between the scanning times of the visual and verbal conditions, but scanning times were shorter after survey than route acquisition, and they consistently increased as a function of the Euclidean distances between locations in the environment, with steeper slopes in the route conditions. These results demonstrate that mental spatial representations derived from different sources and perspectives are endowed with similar properties and preserve the Euclidean characteristics of the original environment, but that they are easier to access when they have been constructed from a survey perspective.
The Temporal Setting, Emotions, and Imagery of Daydreams: Age Changes and Age Differences from Late Adolescent to the Old-Old
Authors: Giambra Leonard M.
Published: May 2005

Daydream temporal setting, emotionality, and imagery were examined through responses to the Imaginal Processes Inventory. Giambra [1–8] and McCraven and Singer [9] have demonstrated adult age differences and seven-year changes. These earlier studies were expanded by increasing the size and diversity of the cross-sectional ( n = 2791, 17 to 95 yrs old) and 5.45–9.54 year longitudinal samples ( n = 886) and by adding 11.45–16.67 year ( n = 628) and 17.40–23.44 year ( n = 290) longitudinal samples. Age differences and age changes were observed, but found to be moderated by general daydreaming levels. Acceptance of daydreaming and willingness to self-revelation were related to emotional reactions to and in daydreams.
Early Archaic Diet in the Tallgrass Prairie and Shortgrass Plains: A Comparison
Authors: Sheehan Michael S.
Published: May 2005

Faunal assemblages from three Early Archaic sites are compared to evaluate whether or not significant differences in diet can be attributed to geographic variability. The results of this study suggest that geographic variability, specifically that associated with longitude, does not contribute to dietary differences in any significant fashion. Understanding the impact of geographic variability on diet is critical to successfully modeling cultural responses to the Altithermal, a period of unusually warm and dry climate roughly coeval with the Early Archaic.
The Founding Fathers: A Grand Case of Semantic Distortion
Authors: Meyers Manny
Published: May 2005

Dr. Meyers has contributed to the Journal before; in each case he has presented an unusual, but pertinent, topic dealing with some phase of communication.

This short discussion of the phrase Founding Fathers is particularly appropriate this year.
Identity and Death: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Lavoie James , de Vries Brian
Published: May 2005

Marcia's (1966) identity status approach was employed in the examination of an existential domain of identity—conceptualized as a component of ideological identity, and operationalized as a multidimensional set of death orientations. Paralleling the identity status constructs of exploration and commitment, the underlying constructs of this domain were proposed to be death contemplation and acceptance. A sample of 149 university undergraduates under the age of 30 completed a questionnaire comprising scales representing the proposed dimensions of contemplation and acceptance, as well as a measure of identity status. A series of multiple regressions indicated that interpersonal achievement status was associated with neutral acceptance (the acceptance of death as a natural part of life); ideological moratorium status was associated with death contemplation, fear, and avoidance; ideological foreclosure status was associated with both approach acceptance (the acceptance of death as a gateway to an afterlife) and escape acceptance (the acceptance of death as a release from pain); ideological diffusion status was negatively associated with both escape and approach acceptance and a view of death as purposeful. These results suggest that existential contemplation occurs but is not resolved in the context of ideological identity development during adolescence and young adulthood. Death acceptance in this population seems more related to either a sense of self that extends to others (an achieved interpersonal identity) or the adoption of a traditional religious belief in an afterlife.
The Effectiveness of Computer-Based Quizzes in a PSI Introductory Psychology Course
Authors: Brothen Thomas , Wambach Cathrine
Published: May 2005

The personalized system of instruction (PSI) replaces lectures with written materials and frequent testing and feedback to insure that students master the material [1]. Student volunteer proctors typically provide most student-staff contact by correcting students' quizzes immediately and suggesting remediation. Numerous studies show that PSI is highly effective but necessitates a course structure that is difficult for instructors to manage. This study extends the work by PSI practitioners to computerize the testing procedures to provide feedback and guide further study. Students in our PSI introductory psychology course improved their subsequent performance on computer-based quizzes that gave feedback. They also improved their quiz performance as the term progressed. We discuss these results in the context of helping students improve as learners.
Typographic Settings for Structured Abstracts
Authors: Hartley James
Published: May 2005

Structured abstracts contain more information, are of higher quality, and are easier to search and read than are traditional abstracts. However, there is a bewildering variety of ways in which structured abstracts can be printed and little is known about how the typography of structured abstracts can affect their clarity. The aim of this article is to delineate some of these major typographic variables and to comment on their effects upon the layouts of structured abstracts.
The Mountains Burnt: Forest Fires and Site Formation Processes
Authors: Connor Melissa A. , Cannon Kenneth P. , Carlevato Denise C.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this article is to explore the effect of forest fires on the archaeological context in a mountainous environment. As Schiffer (1987) has pointed out, understanding environmental formation processes is integral to understanding site formation. Regional-scale processes, such as forest fires, have important site-level effects. By examining these effects in areas burned during the 1988 Yellowstone fires and by concurrently excavating nearby sites, site formation processes related to forest fires were examined. Important effects of fire which may be noted at the site-level include: 1) the mosaic burn pattern, where sharp boundaries are present between burned and unburned areas, 2) morphological changes to stone or bone should be limited to the charred layer representing the burn or within several centimeters below it, 3) specific oxidized soil features, and 4) ash pockets.
The Stream of Consciousness: XVI. James in Recent Context (1986–1991)
Authors: Natsoulas Thomas
Published: May 2005

By addressing work on consciousness that has been published in this journal, I bring contemporary material to bear on my ongoing exploration of William James's stream. How do psychologists of the present day demonstrate or acknowledge the relevance of their great predecessor's introspectively grounded theses and arguments to their own work? I am considering the first fifteen volumes of Imagination, Cognition and Personality in units of five, the middle five in this article. I inquire into what was explicitly drawn from James's work by seven authors or teams of authors; thus, I provide greater or lesser comment pertaining to: a) the kinds of mental occurrence, b) present day incompatibilities of James's thought, c) purported Jamesian inad quacies, d) the use of symbols to evoke belief, e) watching one's stream of consciousness flow by, f) Walt Whitman's mystical experiences, and g) whether inner awareness requires an appropriation of the respective mental-occurrence instances to oneself.
Neuropsychiatric Assessment of Liver Transplantation Candidates: Delirium and other Psychiatric Disorders
Authors: Trzepacz Paula T. , Maue Fred R. , Coffman Gerald , Van Thiel David H.
Published: May 2005

Forty consecutive liver transplantation candidates underwent a standard psychiatric evaluation as part of a multidisciplinary preoperative examination. Psychiatric diagnoses were determined using DSM-III criteria and correlations between the psychiatric diagnoses and the results of bedside cognitive examinations, biochemical measures of hepatic function, and EEG's were made. Half of the patients could not be given a specific psychiatric diagnosis despite the fact of their being in terminal stages of a severe medical illness and being stressed by the uncertainty of whether they would be accepted for possible liver transplantation. Of the twenty patients given a psychiatric diagnosis, 60 percent were found to be delirious and 35 percent had an adjustment disorder. Delirium was associated with a serum albumin less than 3.0 g/dl, grades 1 through 3 EEG dysrhythmias, a Mini Mental State score less than 24 or impairment on Trailmaking Tests. In addition, discriminant analyses were performed to determine which batteries of tests best differentiated the delirious patients. A unique pattern of psychosocial stressors was noted in these patients where the severity of overall stress and of occupational dysfunction was high in most, yet family and social relationships were reported as less affected.
The Relationship between Expressed and Experienced Emotion in Depression
Authors: Brown Serena-Lynn
Published: May 2005

Sixty right-handed adult subjects, divided equally into three groups (mildly depressed, normal, and “low normal”) on the basis of the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, were exposed for forty seconds each to forty-eight imagery items designed to reflect happy, sad, angry, and fearful situations. Expressed emotion (facial electromyography) and experienced emotion (self-report) were measured. Results replicated and extended previous findings, suggesting both a “dissociation” between expressed and experienced happiness and an abnormal degree of “association” between expressed and experienced sadness for depressives and possibly “low normals.”
Musings of an Old Infinitive-Splitter
Authors: Frances Hap
Published: May 2005

An aging technical writer finds that in his nomadic career the same coworkers seem to appear at each new facility. There's Faultless Flora, Hurricane Harry, Castin Bronze, Gertie Guardian, Alphabet Al, and Robbie Rembrant. In his latest job, the technical writer hears about a new character.
Designing Instructional Materials for Qualitative Primary Instruction in Akwa Ibom State
Authors: Ibe-Bassey George S.
Published: May 2005

The effectiveness of any teacher at all levels of education depends on the quality of the inputs, process, and resources within a given educational system. Primary instruction is designed to provide functional literacy and skills of verbal communication, mathematical accuracy, social studies, science, and creative studies. The achievement of this objective depends on the application of the systematic principles of the design of appropriate instructional system components for primary instruction. The materials-first rational model of instructional system development has been advocated. This model is based on the intuitive and opportunity models of instructional design and development.
The Impact of a Culturally Enhanced Drug Prevention Program on Drug and Alcohol Refusal Efficacy among Urban African American Girls
Authors: Belgrave Faye Z. , Reed Melba C. , Plybon Laura E. , Corneille Maya
Published: May 2005

This study examined the utility of the Specific Event Drug and Alcohol Refusal Efficacy scale (SEDARE) as an outcome of a culturally enhanced drug abuse prevention program for urban African-American girls in early adolescence. The SEDARE captures the perceived likelihood that youth will use drugs and alcohol in specific situations. Ninety-two girls participated in the program. Girls in the intervention group had higher drug refusal efficacy as measured by the SEDARE than girls in the comparison group. Girls varied in situations they perceived they could refuse drugs and alcohol. Findings are discussed with implications for drug abuse prevention programs for urban African-American girls.
A Faculty Workshop on Death Attitudes and Life Affirmation
Authors: Colton Arthur E. , Gearhart Darwin E. , Janaro Richard P.
Published: May 2005

This paper reports on a faculty workshop devoted to the discovery and analysis of death attitudes and life affirmation offered as a credit course for faculty and staff at Miami-Dade Junior College, Miami. Florida. The workshop was supported by the administration of the college as a part of its faculty development program. The paper reports on the rationale for the workshop, life-denying characteristics exhibited by some college teachers, a tentative interpretation of these characteristics and the manner in which they may be modified, a review of the workshop goals created by the staff and workshop participants, some strategies used, and some of the ways in which evaluations were made during and at the conclusion of the workshop.
A Study of the Drop-Outs in Psychopharmacological Research with Bulimics
Authors: Margittai Katalin J. , Blouin Arthur , Pérez Edgardo
Published: May 2005

Given the high drop-out rates frequently noted in drug trials with bulimic subjects, we have attempted to correlate drop-out status with a greater level of psychopathology as measured by a thorough standardized psychological assessment battery (NIMH-DIS, EDI, POMS and SCL-90). Despite a trend toward higher scores on the Paranoid Ideation Sub scale of the SCL-90 among drop-outs compared to completers, there were no significant differences found between the two groups participating in a fifteen week double blind crossover study on the effectiveness of desipramine in bulimia.
Promising Future Directions for Computer Based Instruction in Science
Authors: Lipson Joseph I.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this paper is to identify 1) promising future directions for the development of educational technology, and 2) who should carry out the needed research and development. Principal recommendations include: intelligent drill and practice, simulations that teach procedural skills, generic videodiscs, lessons for libraries and science and technology museums, adaptive tests, programs for teachers and parents, programs that teach technology related skills, intellectual tools for students, and computer networks for education. These tasks should be undertaken by centers that are publicly and privately supported.
Killing the Beast within: Woman Battering and Female Suicidality
Authors: Stark Evan , Flitcraft Anne
Published: May 2005

This article explores the importance of woman battering for female suicidality, with special attention to the link among black women. Suicidality has classically been framed with a distinctly male bias. As a result, suicide attempts (a predominantly female event) have been defined as “failed suicides” and the distinctive social context of suicidality among women has been missed. The authors propose that suicidality among battered women is evoked by the “entrapment” women experience when they are subjected to “coercive control” by abusive men. A literature review highlights the probable importance of male violence as a cause of female suicidality. Pursuing this possibility, we assess the significance of battering in a sample of women who have attempted suicide, the characteristics of battered women who attempt suicide, and the appropriateness of the medical response. The results indicate that battering may be the single most important cause of female suicidality, particularly among black and pregnant women. The implications of this finding for theory and clinical intervention are discussed.
Early Prevention of Alcohol and other Drug Use among Adolescents
Authors: James William H. , Moore David D. , Gregersen Molly McCulley
Published: May 2005

Among a variety of methods to prevent drug use among adolescents, school-community based prevention and intervention programs are prevalent. The impact of such programs will be compromised, however, if drug use among adolescents is impacted by forces apart from the impact of school-community prevention and intervention, such as the function of the family. On the other hand, prevention and intervention programs can have a powerful impact if teenage drug use is responded to through early intervention. The purpose of this study was to review a sample of students referred for drug assessments to determine how early intervention should occur and how involved high school and middle school students are with alcohol and other drugs.
Systemic Consultation in a General Hospital
Authors: Tarnow Jay D. , Gutstein Steven E.
Published: May 2005

Consultation psychiatry has long offered the potential for psychiatrists to impact on the mental health of large numbers of individuals. However, workers in consultation psychiatry have often described it as a stressful, ungratifying experience. Over the last fifty years, since the initiation of consultation psychiatry, a series of models of consult work has been presented in the literature. These models have increasingly become more complex in the system of organization in which they operate. Moreover, there has been a constant movement toward viewing the function of the psychiatrist as intervening in behavior outside of the patient. After reviewing the history of consultation psychiatry, the authors conclude that a logical development would be a systemic model in which the entire hospital system is seen as the focus of consultation and in which the goal of the consultant's work is seen as creating a more open and flexible hospital system. The authors, therefore, describe a systemic model in which the potential crisis offered by any request for consultation work is seen as a tool for intervening with the hospital system. The difficulties of attaining the objectivity necessary for implementing a systemic intervention are discussed. A method of systemic diagnosis of the hospital is presented as well as a number of strategies of intervention with the hospital system. The authors conclude that using a systemic model (with the hospital as the focus of consultation) can lead to the development of a more comprehensive science of consultation which will lead to an increase of gratification for the psychiatrist and a more healthy functioning hospital system.
Francis Bacon and Plain Scientific Prose: A Reexamination
Authors: Lipson Carol S.
Published: May 2005

Though historical scholarship in technical writing has been sparse, what is available on Francis Bacon has tended to focus on Bacon's influence in directing scientific discourse toward the use of plain prose. This article shows that in many ways, Bacon's theory of rhetoric for specialized, knowledge-seeking fields directly conflicts with that of those who support plain prose for these fields. In addition, the rhetorical method Bacon utilized in presenting the theory has subverted the effect of much of his theory. Consequently, it is not surprising that Bacon's actual theory differs both from what was transferred to the Royal Society and from posterity's interpretation of it.