Dimensions of perfectionism and irrational thinking

Several authors have suggested that perfectionism is associated with irrational thinking. The purpose of the present research was to test the hypothesis that various dimensions of perfectionism are related significantly to core irrational beliefs. In Study 1, 102 subjects completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) and the Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT). The MPS provides assessments of self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism. Analyses revealed that self-oriented perfectionism was correlated positively with the IBT high self-expectations and perfect solutions subscales. Socially prescribed perfectionism was correlated significantly with a variety of irrational beliefs including high self-expectations, demand for social approval, dependency, blame proneness, and anxious overconcern. Other-oriented perfectionism was correlated with few irrational beliefs. In Study 2, 130 subjects completed the MPS and the Survey of Personal Beliefs, a new measure of core irrational beliefs. Analyses confirmed that all three perfectionism dimensions were associated with core irrational beliefs. It is concluded that the results constitute general support for the hypothesis that cognitive aspects are important in both personal and social components of perfectionism and that perfectionists are characterized by increased levels of irrational beliefs that may contribute to maladjustment. The findings are discussed in terms of the associations among perfectionism, irrational beliefs, and maladjustment.Gordon L. Flett, Ph.D is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at York University. Paul L. Hewitt, Ph.D is a clinical psychologist at Brockville Psychiatric Hospital. He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. Kirk R. Blankstein, Ph.D, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Erindale College, University of Toronto. Spomenka Koledin is a former student at Erindale College, University of Toronto. Currently, she is a graduate student in the Master of Arts programme at York University.     

Depression, self-esteem, and complex attributions for life problems

Past research has suggested that mild and moderate depression are associated with increased attributional processing and a tendency to make complex attributions involving two or more causes. The present research tested the hypothesis that depression and low self-esteem are associated with a tendency to make attributions to multiple causes when faced with life problems. The results were used to demonstrate that the tendency to make multiple attributions for specific life problems accounts for unique variance in depression and self-esteem scores, even after removing variance due to general attributional style. The findings are discussed with reference to the need for multidimensional models of attribution in depression and attributional retraining efforts to include an emphasis on individual differences in the number of multiple attributions made by people.     

An Archival Study of Eyewitness Memory of the Titanic's Final Plunge

A handful of real-life studies demonstrate that most eyewitnesses accurately recall central details (i.e., the gist of what happened) from traumatic events. The authors evaluated the accuracy of archival eyewitness testimony from survivors of the Titanic disaster who witnessed the ship's final plunge. The results indicate that most eyewitness testimony (15 eyewitnesses of 20) is consistent with forensic evidence that demonstrates that the Titanic was breaking apart while it was still on the ocean's surface. Despite the methodological limitations of archival research, the authors provide evidence from a single-occurrence traumatic event (with a large-scale loss of life) that the majority of eyewitnesses accurately recall central details.     

An archival study of eyewitness memory of the Titanic's final plunge

A handful of real-life studies demonstrate that most eyewitnesses accurately recall central details (i.e., the gist of what happened) from traumatic events. The authors evaluated the accuracy of archival eyewitness testimony from survivors of the Titanic disaster who witnessed the ship's final plunge. The results indicate that most eyewitness testimony (15 eyewitnesses of 20) is consistent with forensic evidence that demonstrates that the Titanic was breaking apart while it was still on the ocean's surface. Despite the methodological limitations of archival research, the authors provide evidence from a single-occurrence traumatic event (with a large-scale loss of life) that the majority of eyewitnesses accurately recall central details.     

Test anxiety,self-evaluative worry,and sleep disturbance in college students

Abstract

The present research examined the extent to which sleep disturbance is involved in the experience of test anxiety. In Study 1, a sample of 80 subjects completed a trait measure of test anxiety and completed a sleep inventory with reference to the past 30 days. In Study 2, a sample of 188 subjects provided measures of trait and state test anxiety and completed a sleep inventory for the night preceding an actual test. The results of Study 1 and Study 2 confirmed that test anxiety is associated with self-reported sleep disturbance. In addition, the results of Study 2 showed that sleep disturbance is also associated with increased state test anxiety. Finally, it was found in Study 2 that sleep disturbance was not related to actual test performance. However, poorer test performance was associated with increased state and trait test anxiety. It is concluded that certain characteristics associated with test anxiety are stable and may be detected in evaluative and non-evaluative situations. The results are discussed with particular reference to their implications for the test anxiety construct itself as well as treatment strategies for the test-anxious student.