Interaction of sex-related psychological characteristics and psychoneuroendocrine stress responses

Sex-related psychological characteristics of male and female engineering students were examined and correlated with measures of sympathetic-adrenal medullary hormones. Self-ratings showed that both males and females perceived themselves as equally high in characteristics generally viewed as masculine and feminine. Retrospective reports of play activities in childhood reflected the traditional sex-role patterns, whereas ratings of adult interests, hobbies, and job preferences showed that the two gender groups had moved in a more androgynous direction, with the increase in females' cross-sex interests being greater than that of males. The intellectual performance profiles showed the well-documented sex difference, with males excelling in visuospatial abilities and females in verabl abilities and perceptual speed. Correlations between measures of intellectual performance and catecholamine excretion were mainly positive in the male group and negative in the female group, which is consistent with findings from previous studies.     

Male responses to female competence

This study investigated the conditions under which a male would denigrate a female because of her competence. Sixty-four male subjects either cooperated or competed on anagram tasks with high/low competence male or female co-workers in the presence of a male or a female experimenter. Subsequently, these subjects evaluated their co-workers. No evidence was found to support the notion that males rejected a female partner because of her competence. In fact, some measures revealed that competent females were valued over their male counterparts in the cooperative conditions. Unexpectedly, sex of the experimenter interacted significantly with sex of the co-worker to determine the subject's responses to his partner's competence on two of the dependent measures. The discrepancies between these findings and earlier research findings are addressed. The implications for females in a mixed-sex work context are discussed.     

Male and female internal images in a case of frigidity

Abstract

This is the case of a young woman suffering from a narcissistic personality disturbance with Oedipal aspects. The development of the analytic treatment is stressed through the analysis of her dreams. The analytic setting provided an appropriate mirroring Self-object. Thereby the patient has had the opportunity to express her own defective female grandiose Self, which was at the base of her disturbances.     

Male and female responses to ambiguous instructor behaviors

Sexual harassment is widely prevalent within academic environments. Yet, many implicit harassing behaviors bear resemblance to instructor immediacy behaviors (i.e., behaviors intended to reduce relational distance). Since females are largely the targets of sexual harassment, it was proposed that they would rate immediacy behaviors to be less appropriate and would experience less comfort with these behaviors than their male counterparts. Three-hundred-fifty-four students (approximately 70% of whom were European-American) were asked to rate 19 ambiguous instructor behaviors for appropriateness. Participants were also asked to indicate how personally comfortable they would be with the described behaviors. Results indicated males rated 12 of 19 behaviors to be significantly more appropriate than females and indicated significantly greater comfort with 14 of 19 behaviors.The author would like to thank Dr. Paul Mongeau, Dr. Joseph Walther, and Jan Toth for assistance with this article. He would also like to thank the department chairs and instructors at DePaul University for their assistance in data collection.     

Male versus female leaders: A comparison of empirical studies

One of the popular reasons given for differential treatment of women in management stems from stereotyping females as ineffective leaders. Thirty-two female leadership studies were reviewed. Trait, style, and contingency leadership theories were used as a framework to analyze the studies. The trait studies consistently supported the traditional attitude that women lack adequate leadership characteristics. Both style and contingency studies were split as to whether women were effective or ineffective leaders. Most student studies supported the commonly held beliefs about women's leadership style and effectiveness. On the other hand, managerial studies did not support the typical female stereotyping; this suggests the possibility of a socializing process modifying practicing managers' attitudes towards women, and it also raises a question about the validity of stereotyping as a discriminatory causal factor in managerial environments. Before more conclusive statements can be made, further sex-related leadership research controlling for subjects and methodology is suggested.     

Male and female images in a case of frigidity (discussion)

Abstract

The case of Anna presented by Professor Giliberti is discussed from an interpersonal perspective. Attention is given to Anna's real experiences of hypocrisy, social inadequacy, hatred and blame projection. Paranoid aspects are emphasized and seen as connected with a disparity between appearance and reality in the communicative pattern of the family.     

A mixed-methods examination of autonomous sensory meridian response: Comparison to frisson

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a pleasurable, head-oriented tingling sensation, typically induced by exposure to audiovisual triggers, producing feelings of relaxation and euphoria. This article explores the induction of ASMR experiences in a laboratory setting amongst non-specialised participants, as well as the relationship between ASMR and frisson, or ‘musical chills’. In previous work, the ASMR-15 was found to be a reliable measure of ASMR propensity, however, the predictive validity of the measure has yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to assess whether ASMR-15 scores predict greater ASMR induction in an experimental setting. To address this, N = 100 undergraduate psychology students completed the ASMR-15 and a measure of frisson, before viewing ASMR stimuli under controlled conditions. Mixed-methods analyses indicated the successful induction of ASMR amongst some participants, convergence between ASMR-15 scores and video ratings, as well as divergence between ASMR and frisson scores.     

Intergroup anxiety effects on the control of racial stereotypes: A psychoneuroendocrine analysis

Anxiety associated with an intergroup interaction is often thought to interfere with the cognitive control of automatic racial stereotypes. However, this link remains elusive, as self-reported anxiety is not typically associated with assessments of control. The present research tested a neuroendocrine model for how intergroup anxiety may affect controlled processing. White participants met with a Black or White interviewer to discuss their racial attitudes and to complete a measure of stereotype inhibition. Baseline and post-interaction assessments of self-reported anxiety and salivary cortisol were obtained. Although self-reported anxiety was heightened for participants in the Black interviewer condition, it was not associated with control on the stereotyping task. Rather, greater cortisol reactivity to the interracial interaction predicted reduced controlled processing. This pattern was not observed in the White interviewer condition. Implications for theories of intergroup anxiety, self-regulation, and resource depletion are discussed.     

Race and vulnerability to stress: an examination of differential vulnerability

In this article the possibility of race differences in vulnerability to stress is considered. Structural models linking socioeconomic status, age, and life-change events to psychological distress are fit to blacks' and whites' data, which were obtained in a community survey of 829 Florida residents to evaluate differences in vulnerability. Life-change-distress paths were slightly larger among blacks than among whites, though not significantly so. The possible adaptive or coping resources provided by supportive social ties and by fatalistic responses to chronic stress are suggested as topics for further research with regard to psychological well-being among disadvantaged groups.     

Male and female nurturing: Perceptions of style and competence

College men and women evaluated male and female characters in five stories about babysitters. The characters: (1) refused to babysit, (2) babysat with minimal caretaking activities, (3) babysat with an active play style, (4) babysat with a quiet play style, or (5) babysat with a combined style. The refuser was considered most masculine but was consistently devalued. The quiet play, the active play, and combined caretakers were evaluated most positively. Evaluations of babysitters were more dependent on the behaviors they engaged in than on their gender. Nurturing men and women were both valued.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, August 1985.     

The nontraditional female athlete: A case study

Abstract

Current research presents traditional female college student-athletes as unmarried and childless individuals between 18 and 24 years of age. However, many colleges/universities are experiencing increases in the number of nontraditional students returning to higher education following leave from academic involvement. Possibly, this has implications for an increase in nontraditional student athletes. This case study examined a Caucasian female (age 36), Division II state ranked distance runner at an historically Black college. Compared to female athletes discussed in the literature, this nontraditional athlete was similar in motivation, locus of control, self-esteem, and attentional focus. She was different in role conflict, social support, use of imagery, and anxiety experiences. Nontraditional athletes may have different support systems and vary in participation motivations from the traditional athletes in the literature. Practitioners need to understand nontraditional athletes and the influence of lifestyle differences in relation to training and performance. Practitioners working with nontraditional athletes should focus on the impact of lifestyle and role differences on psychological variables related to participation and performance.     

Differential vascular adaptive response to stress exposure in male and female rats: role of gonadal hormones and endothelial cells

Although there are reports concerning a vascular adaptive response to stress in males, this is not yet defined in females. The aim of this study was to delineate functional gender differences in the rat vascular adaptive response to stress and to determine the ability of sex hormones to modulate the stress-induced vascular adaptive response. Responses to noradrenaline were evaluated in aortas, with and without endothelium, from intact, gonadectomized and gonadectomized-hormone-replaced males and females submitted or not to stress (2-h immobilization). Reactivity of the aorta of stressed and non-stressed intact males and females (n = 6-14 per group) was also examined in the presence of L-NAME or indomethacin. Stress decreased and gonadectomy increased maximal responses to noradrenaline in aortas with intact endothelium from both genders. Stress also reduced noradrenaline potency in males. In females, but not males, stress decreased the gonadectomy-induced noradrenaline hyper-reactivity to near that of intact non-stressed rats. Hormone replacement restored the gonadectomy-induced impaired vascular adaptive response to stress. L-NAME, but not indomethacin, abolished the stress-induced decrease in aorta reactivity of males and females. None of the procedures altered reactivity of aortas denuded of endothelium. CONCLUSION: Stress-induced vascular adaptive responses show gender differences. The magnitude of the adaptive response is dependent on testicular hormones and involves endothelial nitric oxide-system hyperactivity.