The role of self-esteem in affiliation

The role of self-esteem in a person's decision to initially affiliate with someone and subsequently maintain that affiliation was examined. A sample of 221 pairs of participants ("observers" and their "affiliates") were administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1979), the Social Desirability Scale (D. Crowne & D. Marlowe, 1964), and a general interest questionnaire. The observers and most of their affiliates were undergraduate students enrolled at a southwestern U.S. university. Both at initial contact and during maintained affiliation, the observers with high self-esteem scores tended to affiliate with persons who scored significantly lower on self-esteem, and observers with low self-esteem scores tended to affiliate with persons who scored significantly higher on self-esteem. The authors concluded that a person's level of self-esteem may play an important role in his or her choices of affiliates.     

Satisfaction with life and death distress

A convenient sample of 568 Egyptian female nursing undergraduates (M age = 19.5 yr., SD = 1.6) was recruited. Their scores on the Satisfaction with Life Scale were correlated with scores on the Death Anxiety Scale, Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety, Death Depression Scale-Revised, and the Death Obsession Scale. Pearson correlations were significant but small [-.15, -.18, -.14 (p < .01) and -.08 (ns), respectively], indicating their predictive and practical value is negligible.     

Assessment of Discipline Styles Among Parents of Preschool Through School-Age Children

The Parenting Scale (D.S. Arnold, S.G. O'Leary, L.S. Wolff, & M.M. Acker, 1993) is a self-report measure of parenting practices that has demonstrated sound psychometric properties when used with the parents of young children. However, less is known about the use of this measure with parents of older children. This study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Parenting Scale in a normative sample of parents with children 2–12 years old. Findings reveal that the psychometric properties remain strong among the parents of elementary school children, with minimal differences in scores as a function of children's age. However, the data suggest that the factor structure may differ from that proposed by the authors. Although statistically significant correlations with ADHD symptoms were revealed, the magnitude of these correlations was relatively small. Suggestions for future research and clinical use of this scale are discussed.     

Confirmatory factor analyses of the full and short versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale

Over the years, researchers have developed various short versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (D. P. Crowne & D. Marlowe, 1960). The authors used confirmatory factor analyses (J. L. Arbuckle, 1997) as well as item and scale analyses to evaluate the adequacy of the full version and various short versions. Overall, the results from 232 Canadian undergraduates showed (a) that all the short versions in the present study are a significant improvement in fit over the 33-item full scale and (b) that W. M. Reynolds's (1982) Forms A and B are the best fitting short versions. No gender differences were found for the full scale or any of the short versions. The results show that the full scale could be improved psychometrically and that the psychometrically sound short versions should be available because they require less administration time than the full scale.     

Factor Analysis of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire: A Study of Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin

A large body of historical evidence describes the use of hallucinogenic compounds, such as psilocybin mushrooms, for religious purposes. But few scientific studies have attempted to measure or characterize hallucinogen‐occasioned spiritual experiences. The present study examined the factor structure of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), a self‐report measure that has been used to assess the effects of hallucinogens in laboratory studies. Participants (N = 1,602) completed the 43‐item MEQ in reference to a mystical or profound experience they had had after ingesting psilocybin. Exploratory factor analysis of the MEQ retained 30 items and revealed a four‐factor structure covering the dimensions of classic mystical experience: unity, noetic quality, sacredness (F1); positive mood (F2); transcendence of time/space (F3); and ineffability (F4). MEQ factor scores showed good internal reliability and correlated with the Hood Mysticism Scale, indicating convergent validity. Participants who endorsed having had a mystical experience on psilocybin, compared to those who did not, had significantly higher factor scores, indicating construct validity. The four‐factor structure was confirmed in a second sample (N = 440) and demonstrated superior fit compared to alternative models. The results provide initial evidence of the validity, reliability, and factor structure of a 30‐item scale for measuring single, hallucinogen‐occasioned mystical experiences, which may be a useful tool in the scientific study of mysticism.     

Self-Actualization of “Paranormals”

A sample of 56 Ss nominated by others as paranormals and self-stated as experiencing paranormal (occult) phenomena, were administered measures purportedly reflected dimensions of the self-actualization concept. Ss reported both their interest in, and experience of, 15 areas of paranormal phenomena. Ss were given the Marlowe-Crown Social Desirability Scale (measuring ego-defensiveness), Shostrom's Self-Actualization Test (POI), and an Aphorism test (designed to measure degree of “expanded awareness”). Ss scores were compared with various normative and experimental group scores for the three tests. Although statistically significant differences were rare, there was usually a trend for paranormals to score in the direction of self-actualization on most measures.     

Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Full and Short Versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale

Abstract

Over the years, researchers have developed various short versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (D. P. Crowne & D. Marlowe, 1960). The authors used confirmatory factor analyses (J. L. Arbuckle, 1997) as well as item and scale analyses to evaluate the adequacy of the full version and various short versions. Overall, the results from 232 Canadian undergraduates showed (a) that all the short versions in the present study are a significant improvement in fit over the 33-item full scale and (b) that W. M. Reynolds's (1982) Forms A and B are the best fitting short versions. No gender differences were found for the full scale or any of the short versions. The results show that the full scale could be improved psychometrically and that the psychometrically sound short versions should be available because they require less administration time than the full scale.     

An examination of how one's attitudes toward women are reflected in one's defensiveness and self-esteem

The Berger Self-Esteem Measure, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and Spence's (1972) Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) were used to test 96 undergraduates. Subjects were divided according to sex and median split scores on the personality measures. Analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for sex and defensiveness and approached significance for the sex × self-esteem effect (p<.10). Males and females were found to respond significantly differently on the AWS scale. Highly defensive males were more discriminating toward women and self-concept appeared to be an influential variable. However, self-esteem alone did not seem to have any significant effects.     

How Close Are We? Measuring Intimacy and Examining Gender Differences

Many theorists agree that intimacy is a multidimensional concept consisting of several specific components: love and affection, personal validation, trust, and self‐disclosure. In this investigation, the authors tried to determine if 3 popular intimacy measures actually assess these 4 components and to see if women and men differ in their experiences of intimacy. Three hundred and sixty undergraduates completed the Miller Social Intimacy Scale (R. S. Miller & H. M. Lefcourt, 1982), the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships Scale (M. T. Schaefer & D. H. Olson, 1981), and the Fear of Intimacy Scale (C. J. Descutner & M. H. Thelen, 1991). Results of factor analyses supported the 4 specific components of intimacy. Multivariate analysis of variance results corroborated that women and men did vary in their experiences of intimacy.     

Relationships between critical thinking and attitudes toward women's roles in society

This exploratory study is the first examination of the relationships between critical thinking--as measured by subscales on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Form S (WGCTA Form S; G. B. Watson & E. M. Glaser, 1994)-and attitudes toward women's roles in society--as measured by subscales on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS: J. T. Spence & R. L. Helmreich, 1972). The authors hypothesized that greater critical thinking skills would be associated with more liberal attitudes toward women's roles in society. Results from a sample of 90 nursing and management undergraduates supported the hypothesis. There were moderate correlations between scores from the WGCTA Form S Inference (.24 to .37) and Deduction (.19 to .26) subtests and scores from the AWS Freedom and Independence; Marital Relationships and Obligation; and Vocational, Educational, and Intellectual Roles subscales. These findings suggest that further research with larger samples and cross-cultural samples is warranted.     

Acceptance of cosmetic surgery and celebrity worship: Evidence of associations among female undergraduates

The present study examined the association between acceptance of cosmetic surgery and celebrity worship in a sample of British female undergraduates. A total of 401 women completed the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005), the Celebrity Attitude Scale (McCutcheon, Lange, & Houran, 2002), and provided their demographic details. Results showed that there were highly significant correlations between all subscales of the ACSS and CAS, as well as with participant age, and body mass index (BMI). A series of multiple regressions showed that celebrity worship and participant demographics explained about half of the variance in acceptance of cosmetic surgery, with Intense-personal celebrity worship emerging as the strongest predictor. Limitations of the current study are discussed in conclusion.     

Acceptance of cosmetic surgery and celebrity worship: Evidence of associations among female undergraduates

The present study examined the association between acceptance of cosmetic surgery and celebrity worship in a sample of British female undergraduates. A total of 401 women completed the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005), the Celebrity Attitude Scale (McCutcheon, Lange, & Houran, 2002), and provided their demographic details. Results showed that there were highly significant correlations between all subscales of the ACSS and CAS, as well as with participant age, and body mass index (BMI). A series of multiple regressions showed that celebrity worship and participant demographics explained about half of the variance in acceptance of cosmetic surgery, with Intense-personal celebrity worship emerging as the strongest predictor. Limitations of the current study are discussed in conclusion.     

Experimenter Attributes as Determinants of Subjects' Responses

Viewing desperate love as marked by urgency, neediness, dependence, a great need for reciprocation, indealization, and affective extremes, personality traits leading to desperate love were examined. A sample of 251 undergraduates, in desperate love, nondesperate love, and random groups, completed several questionnaires examining characteristic qualities of self and important others and attitudes toward love (Desperate Love Scale, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Knox-Sporakowski Attitudes Toward Love Scale, Characteristic Qualities Questionnaire). Findings support both the primary hypothesis that people can be differentiated in their experience of desperate love based upon significantly different responses when describing characteristic qualities of self and important others and the secondary hypothesis that those tending toward desperate love have a more romantic attitude toward love. The study can be taken as an indication that latent qualities, as well as manifest behavior, differentiate someone who experiences desperate love.     

Discriminant measures for desperate love

Viewing desperate love as marked by urgency, neediness, dependence, a great need for reciprocation, indealization, and affective extremes, personality traits leading to desperate love were examined. A sample of 251 undergraduates, in desperate love, nondesperate love, and random groups, completed several questionnaires examining characteristic qualities of self and important others and attitudes toward love (Desperate Love Scale, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Knox-Sporakowski Attitudes Toward Love Scale, Characteristic Qualities Questionnaire). Findings support both the primary hypothesis that people can be differentiated in their experience of desperate love based upon significantly different responses when describing characteristic qualities of self and important others and the secondary hypothesis that those tending toward desperate love have a more romantic attitude toward love. The study can be taken as an indication that latent qualities, as well as manifest behavior, differentiate someone who experiences desperate love.     

The life events scale for students: Validation for use with British samples

The life events scale for students is a checklist measure of life events intended for use with undergraduate populations. The report describes the validation of the scale for use with British undergraduates. Ratings for the events on the scale were obtained from a sample of 191 undergraduates. A second analysis using a sample of 40 undergraduates showed that scores on the scale were predictive of elevated levels of psychopathology. Furthermore, this relationship was largely independent of negative affectivity or repression-sensitization. The Life Events Scale for Students provides a suitable measure for use in stress research using undergraduate populations.     

Roman Catholic Gay Priests: Internalized Homophobia, Sexual Identity, and Psychological Well-Being

Using convenience sampling, a national sample of 156 actively ministering or retired Roman Catholic priests was obtained. One hundred and five (105) of these priests identified as gay/homosexual (67.3 %), 42 identified as heterosexual (26.9 %), and 9 identified as bisexual (5.8 %). Due to the small number of bisexual participants, the bisexual priests’ responses were excluded, and the whole sample was divided into a gay/homosexual group and a heterosexual comparison group. This confidential study yielded a response rate of 78 %. The priests were mailed self-report survey instruments, including the Scales of Psychological Well-Being, the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory, the Gay Identity Questionnaire, the Depression-Happiness Scale, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, as well as a demographics questionnaire. Results demonstrated that internalized homophobia was negatively correlated with psychological well-being and associated with depression. Internalized homophobia was also found to be related to less integration of sexual identity. There was no significant difference between the gay/homosexual and the heterosexual group in their psychological well-being and depression scores, and both groups emerged as high scorers on the measures of psychological well-being and depression-happiness (high scores on this bipolar instrument indicate happiness). Implications and limitations of the study are reviewed and discussed.     

Confirmatory Factor Analyses of Scores From Full and Short Versions of the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale

Self-report measures are much used in social psychology. However, such measures are susceptible to response bias. The 33-item Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability scale (Crowne & Marlowe, 1960) is widely used to detect social desirability in responding. This study used confirmatory factor analyses and item and scale analyses to evaluate different, time-saving, short versions of the scale. The results from 633 management undergraduates showed that all the short versions and the 2-factor model are a significant improvement in fit over the full scale. There were no gender differences on the 14 measures. It is recommended that when the full scale is used, the separate attribution and denial scores are also used. Researchers who decide to use a short version should seriously consider Ballard's (1992) Scale 1 or composite versions because the present study identified these as the best short versions.     

The Effect of Early Music Training on Child Cognitive Development

The relationship between participation in a structured music curriculum and cognitive development was studied with 71 4- through 6-year olds. Children were pre- and posttested with six subtests of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, fourth edition (SB) and the Young Child Music Skills Assessment (MSA). Approximately one half of the sample participated in a 30-week, 75-minute weekly, parent-involved music curriculum. Statistical analysis showed significant gains for participants receiving music instruction on the MSA and on the SB Bead Memory subtest. Four-order partial correlations analysis found musical treatment influence on Bead Memory scores when the participants were controlled for sex, ethnicity, parental education, and economic class. Treatment also produced higher scores on other SB measurements for select populations. This study suggests a significant correspondence between early music instruction and spatial–temporal reasoning abilities.     

Transliminality and Creativity

Using 50 psychology undergraduates, an attempt was made to find positive correlations between, on the one hand, transliminality (psychological material crossing thresholds into or out of consciousness), and on the other hand, (item‐corrected) creative personality, and figure‐complexity preference (as given by the Revised Barron‐Welsh Art Scale: a measure of creativity). Only the correlation between transliminality and creative personality was significant. There was also a significant and high test‐retest reliability coefficient for the Transliminality Scale, as well as a significant positive correlation between creative personality and paranormal belief.     

Social approval and helping

An experiment was conducted to examine the role played by social approval as an incentive for helping behavior. After filling out the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, 95 female undergraduates were asked to make donations to a research fund under either public or private conditions. The following predictions, derived from social learning theory, were supported: (a) more money is donated under public conditions than under private conditions (p < .01), (b) more money is donated by individuals high in need for approval than those low in need for approval (p < .05), and (c) the effect of need for approval on donating is greater under public conditions than under private conditions (p < .05).