Patterns of Culturally Defined Sex-Role Preference and Parental Imitation

Summary

The theory that males tend to identify with a culturally defined, masculine role and that females tend to imitate their mothers was assessed by administering the It Scale (culturally defined role preference) and the Imitation Schedule (parental imitation) to 36 white, middle-class, third-grade boys and girls. Boys' masculine role preference was higher than the girls' feminine preference (t = 4.62, p < .0005), and there was no difference in same-sexed imitation scores (t = .24, p > .05). Boys' masculine preference was higher than their father imitation (t = 1.85, p < .05), and the girls had higher mother imitation than feminine preference (t = 1.85, p < .05). The interpretations were complicated by the fact that the girls' preference was in the masculine range. The results suggested that boys identify with a culturally defined, masculine role, that girls show a similar tendency, and that neither sex imitates the same-sexed parent consistently.     

Knowledge despite falsehood

I examine the claim, made by some authors, that we sometimes acquire knowledge from falsehood. I focus on two representative cases in which a subject S infers a proposition q from a false proposition p. If S knows that q, I argue, S's false belief that p is not essential to S's cognition. S's knowledge is instead due to S's belief that p′, a proposition in the neighbourhood of p that S (dispositionally) believes (and knows). S thus knows despite her false belief. The widely accepted and plausible principle that inferential knowledge requires known premises is unscathed.     

Exploring correlations between positive psychological resources and symptoms of psychological distress among hematological cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Hematological cancer patients experience high levels of psychological distress during diagnoses and intensive treatments. The aim of the present study is to explore the effects of positive psychological resources on depressive and anxiety symptoms in hematological cancer patients. This survey was conducted in a hospital during the period from July 2013 to April 2014. A total of 300 inpatients were recruited and finally 227 of them completed the questionnaires. Questionnaires included demographic and clinical variables, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Life Orientation Scale-Revised, the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Resilience Scale-14. Results showed that the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was 66.1 and 45.8%, respectively. Both optimism (β = ?.479, p < .001) and resilience (β = ?.174, p < .05) were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and optimism (β = ?.393, p < .001) was negatively associated with anxiety symptoms. However, resilience (β = ?.133, p > .05) was not significantly associated with anxiety symptoms, and self-efficacy was not significantly associated with depressive (β = ?.032, p > .05) or anxiety symptoms (β = ?.055, p > .05). The results suggest that hematological cancer patients who possess high levels of positive psychological resources may have fewer symptoms of psychological distress. The findings indicate that enhancing positive psychological resources can be considered in developing intervention strategies for decreasing depressive and anxiety symptoms.     

A Defense of Restricted Phenomenal Conservatism

Abstract

In this paper, I criticize Michael Huemer's phenomenal conservatism, the theory of justification according to which if it seems to S that p, then in the absence of defeaters, S thereby has at least some degree of justification for believing that p. Specifically, I argue that beliefs and hunches provide counterexamples to phenomenal conservatism. I then defend a version of restricted phenomenal conservatism, the view that some but not all appearances confer prima facie justification on their propositional contents. Specifically, I defend the view that S has defeasible justification for believing that p if and only if it seems to S that p and it seems to S that she is acquainted with the fact that makes p true. Finally, I criticize Huemer's self-defeat argument for phenomenal conservatism.     

Performance on a Following Tracking Task (Modified Sam Two-Hand Coordination Test) as a Function of Radius of Control Cranks

The influence of two deindividuating variables, altered responsibility and coaction in groups, on one's tendency to deliver noxious or helpful stimulation impulsively and in a cyclical pattern to a target person was investigated in a laboratory experiment with use of 96 male and female junior college students. Analysis of variance revealed that, as hypothesized, Ss who coacted in groups of three and who had the responsibility for their behavior removed delivered noxious (but not helpful) stimuli more impulsively than Ss who worked alone and were made to feel responsible (p < .01). Ss responded in a more cyclical pattern when delivering aversive tones than when delivering facilitating tones (p < .005). A marginally significant finding was that Ss in groups responded in a more cyclical pattern than Ss alone only when the response was seen as aversive. It was concluded that the probability of impulsive and cyclical aggression may be increased by altered responsibility and coaction.     

The effects of stressors and coping resources on anxiety and peripheral narrowing

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine possible mechanisms which might help explain why individuals with high life stress and/or low coping resources are at greater risk for incurring athletic injuries. The effects of life events, daily hassles (DH), and coping resources (CR) on state anxiety and peripheral vision narrowing during a stress condition were examined. Subjects were 74 recreational athletes who completed the Life Events Survey, Daily Hassles Scale (DHS), Vulnerability to Stress Questionnaire (CR), and state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Peripheral vision was measured alone during baseline and while simultaneously performing a Stroop Color-Word Test accompanied by distracting noise during the stress condition. State anxiety was assessed during baseline and the stress condition. Analyses of covariance revealed that high negative life events (NLE) (p = .01) were related to greater peripheral narrowing during the stress condition. High TLE (p = .01) and DH (p = .005) were related to elevated state anxiety during the stress condition. The peripheral vision TLE main effect (p = .03) and the state anxiety interactions of NLE × CR and DHS × CR (ps = .05) approached significance. High CR tended to reduce perceived state anxiety during the stress condition for high NLE and DH subjects compared to similar subjects with low CR. Thus, partial support was offered for the mechanisms proposed in the Andersen and Williams (1988) stress-injury model. The results are discussed in terms of future research needs.     

Cognitive-behavioral therapy plus motivational interviewing improves outcome for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A preliminary study

Abstract

Lack of motivation may negatively impact cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) response for pediatric patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Motivational interviewing is a method for interacting with patients in order to decrease their ambivalence and support their self-efficacy in their efforts at behavior change. The authors present a preliminary randomized trial (N = 16) to evaluate the effectiveness of adding motivational interviewing (MI) as an adjunct to CBT. Patients aged 6 to 17 years who were participating in intensive family-based CBT for OCD were randomized to receive either CBT plus MI or CBT plus extra psychoeducation (PE) sessions. After four sessions, the mean Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) score for the CBT plus MI group was significantly lower than for the CBT plus psychoeducation group, t(14) = 2.51, p < .03, Cohen's d = 1.34. In addition, the degree of reduction in CY-BOCS scores was significantly greater, t(14) = 2.14, p = .05, Cohen's d = 1.02, for the CBT plus MI group (mean Δ = 16.75, SD = 9.66) than for the CBT plus psychoeducation group (mean Δ = 8.13, SD = 6.01). This effect decreased over time, and scores at posttreatment were not significantly different. However, participants in the MI group completed treatment on average three sessions earlier than those in the psychoeducation group, providing support for the utility of MI in facilitating rapid improvement and minimizing the burden of treatment for families.     

Resilience in people who stutter: Association with covert and overt characteristics of stuttering

PurposeRecent literature stresses the importance of resilience, as a trait, for successful coping with life’s difficulties or stressors. However, only a limited number of studies were conducted on resilience among people-who-stutter (PWS). These studies did not examine the association between resilience and the specific characteristics of stuttering. This study was, therefore, aimed to directly examine the association between resilience and measures of both the covert and overt characteristics of stuttering.MethodThirty adults who stutter completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Overall Assessment of Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering - Adults (OASES-A). In addition, stuttering severity of all participants was quantified using the Stuttering Severity Instrument-4 (SSI-4). The associations between all measures were examined statistically.ResultsA strong and significant association was found between the participants' scores on the CD-RISC and the OASES-A (r= -.79, p < .001). In contrast, no significant correlation was found between the participants' scores in the CD-RISC and the SSI-4 (r = .02, p > .05). Within our cohort, no significant association was observed between the participants’ gender and age and their resilience levels (p > 0.05).ConclusionThis study demonstrates the role of resilience in shaping the individual's experience with stuttering. Results also show that the individuals' resilience levels do not necessarily predict stuttering severity per se, or its overt manifestations but can predict the individuals' subjective perception of his/her stuttering. This highlights the importance of addressing and promoting resilience among PWS in stuttering therapy.     

An Experimental Study Using the Ophthalm-O-Graph and Metron-O-Scope in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Defects

Changes in self-esteem and belief in internal versus external control of reinforcement (skill versus chance) were investigated among 24 black male and female youngsters, aged 12 through 19, from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations. Age, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and achievement in flight training were varied. Results showed significant gains in self-esteem by Ss under 16 years of age (p < .05) and Ss from middle income families (p < .005). There was no significant change in belief in internal versus external control among any of the subgroups.     

A Pursuit Device for Obtaining both Quantitative and Qualitative Records

Fifth and sixth grade students (N = 87) were divided into High Test Anxious and Low Test Anxious groups on the basis of galvanic skin responses (GSR). Ss identified as High Anxious responded positively to group systematic desensitization procedures, exhibiting significantly (p < .05) lower autonomic indices of test anxiety and significantly (p < .001) improved criterion test scores. Low Anxious Ss exposed to the systematic desensitization program demonstrated no significant change in criterion test scores.     

The family relationships of humor-oriented adolescents1

It was hypothesized that humor-oriented people emerge from a pattern of distance in family relationships. Using Moos's (1974) Family Environment Scale (FES) and Kuethe's (1962) figure-placement technique, the family experience of 88 Boy Scouts was assessed. Through a peer nomination technique nonhumor-oriented, middle, and humor-oriented groups were formed. As predicted, the humor-oriented group exhibited lower cohesion scores (p <.01) and greater conflict scores (p <.10) on the FES and greater distance from father in the figure placement (p <.05). A subgroup of humor-oriented boys receiving high ratings for funniness displayed similar though somewhat more general patterns of family distance. Humor orientation was modestly associated with popularity but not with age, birth order, or number of siblings. A family-distance model of humor orientation was proposed which views humor as an attempt to relate from a distance. This framework appears to be consistent with a variety of earlier findings pertaining to the psychology of humor.     

Effects of guided imagery with relaxation training on anxiety and quality of life among patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) impacts quality of life (QoL). Psychological factors influence the course of the disease and should be targeted for intervention.

Methods: Our study was a prospective, randomised control trial. Fifty-six outpatients were randomly chosen and allocated to a treatment group or a waiting-list control group. Treatment group patients attended three relaxation-training sessions and received an audio disc for home practice. Evaluations performed pre and post-treatment: state anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, QoL with the IBD Questionnaire. The Visual Analogue Scale assessed pain, depression, stress and mood. Patients completed a symptom monitoring diary. The control group's symptoms were monitored without study-related treatment.

Results: Thirty-nine subjects completed the study and were included in the data analysis. Following the relaxation-training intervention, the treatment group's (n?=?18) measured results showed a statistically significant improvement as compared to the control group (n?=?21) (time by treatment interaction): anxiety levels decreased (p?<?0.01), QoL and mood improved (p?<?0.05), while levels of pain and stress decreased (p?<?0.01).

Conclusions: Findings indicate IBD patients may benefit from relaxation training in their holistic care. New studies as well as further investigation of the subject are warranted.     

Control Interaction

Summary

The positive norm of reciprocity makes two minimal demands: (a) help those who help you; and (b) do not harm those who help you. The complementary norm of retaliation may be interpreted as making two similar demands: (a) harm those who harm you; and (b) do not help those who harm you. Previous research has verified that the first demand for both norms does govern human behavior, but has never looked at the second demands. This study investigated the second minimal demands of both norms by using a 2 × 2 factorial design. Half of the Ss were either given benefits or not by a C, and then were permitted to shock her. The remaining Ss were either shocked or not shocked by a C and then allowed to benefit her. The predictions were that Ss would not harm those who benefited them and would not benefit those who harmed them. Results did not support these hypotheses. The Ss' impressions of the other person and of themselves were consistent with the behavioral data. It was concluded that the reciprocity norms must be delimited to behaviors within positive or negative modes of reinforcement.     

Who Likes Competent Women? Competence,Sex-Role Congruence of Interests,and Subjects' Attitudes Toward Women as Determinants of Interpersonal Attraction1

Men (N= 264) and women (N= 343) students were shown one of 4 videotape versions of a female stimulus person (SP) being interviewed. The SP portrayed a Competent or Incompetent individual who was Feminine or Masculine in her interests. The S s, who had previously been given an Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS, Spence & Helmreich, 1972) rated the SP on several characteristics, including likability. A 2 × 2 ANOVA indicated that women S s significantly preferred the Competent and the Masculine SPs. For men, the variables interacted significantly, the Masculine-Competent SP being liked most, the Masculine-Incompetent least, and the two Feminine SP s being intermediate and similar to each other. When S s' AWS scores (high, medium, or low) were included, complex interactions were found between AWS and experimental condition, especially in the male groups.     

The Constancy of the Stanford-Binet IQ from Three to Five Years

Kindergarten and first-grade children giving nonintentional moral judgments were divided into three equated groups (Ns = 6), in each of two studies. Two groups performed with models (adult or peer) giving intentionality responses, with the third a control. During training, three Ss and three models in a group performing alternately were given social reinforcement for intentionality responses to Piaget-type stories. On an immediate posttest, both training groups in each study showed significant intentionality response gains from pretest and significantly exceeded their control group (ps < .05), while not differing significantly from each other. In study #2, a delayed posttest showed similar training durability for both training groups; both increased nonsignificantly in intentionality responses, continuing to exceed the controls (ps < .05).     

Instinct,Heredity, and Social Tradition

Summary

The influence of physical attractiveness and warmth of a model on imitation and social perception in adults was assessed in this study with the use of 108 male and female college students. The Ss were randomly paired with a model who, depending on experimental conditions, was either a male or female, of high or low facial attractiveness, and who interacted with the S in a warm or cold manner. The Ss were then placed in a task situation which provided an opportunity to imitate the model, after which the Ss were asked to rate their experience and the model's personality. Warmth of the model was a more influential determinant of imitation, personality rating, and experience than physical attractiveness. However, the warmth affect was influenced by sex of the model and sex of the S. Possible explanations for the warmth effect were explored.     

A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Alienation on Public and Private School Females

The levels of alienation of American female school students (N = 431; 256 public, 175 private) were assessed to determine the extent of the influence of the school environment on the student's level of alienation and the dimensions of isolation, normlessness, and powerlessness. It was hypothesized that substantially different school settings would have no significant effects because student alienation is influenced by a series of complex environmental factors. The Dean Alienation Scale (1961) was used to assess levels of alienation. There were no significant differences in terms of total alienation and powerlessness. Private school students, however, were more isolated (p < .001) and public school students had higher levels of normlessness (p < .05).     

Increasing calcium intake in young women through gain-framed,targeted messages: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Adequate calcium consumption during early adulthood can help prevent osteoporosis in women.

Purpose: The effects of gain-framed, targeted messaging on calcium intake were examined over 12 months.

Methods: Young women (18–19 years) not consuming sufficient calcium were randomly assigned to receive standard care materials (control) or gain-framed, targeted materials (experimental). Health belief model (HBM) constructs, calcium intake and markers of bone formation, resorption and bone mineral density were assessed at various time points throughout the year.

Results: Calcium intake increased significantly more in the experimental versus the control condition (p?<?0.01). Self-efficacy was the only HBM construct to improve significantly more in the experimental condition versus control (p?=?0.05). The HBM did not mediate changes in calcium intake. Measures of bone health did not differ between conditions by the end of this nonpharmacological intervention (p's?>?0.05).

Conclusions: It is possible to increase young women's calcium consumption through gain-framed, targeted messages.     

Life Satisfaction and Bias Toward the Aged: Attitudes of Middle and Older Adult Church Members

ABSTRACT

Life satisfaction was compared with knowledge about aging and bias toward the aged. Adaptations of the Life Satisfaction Index A (LSIA) and the Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) were administered to 56 middle and older adult members of a Protestant church in a southwestern city. Bias was determined from FAQ responses using Palmore's (1988) methods. A weak positive relationship was found between LSIA and bias scores (r = .29555, p < .05). Subjects also answered open-ended questions which reflected a high degree of happiness and life satisfaction. Implications for ministry are proposed.