Beyond IQ: broad-based measurement of individual success potential or "emotional intelligence"

Individual-difference correlates of life success were studied using 302 participants aged 17-46 years (107 men, 195 women) and 31 individual-difference measures. Factor 1 (Relaxed Temperament) included Trait Pleasure-Displeasure (+), Anxiety (-), Depression (-), Optimism (+), Self-Esteem (+), Covert Index of Employee Reliability (+), and Functional Flexibility (-). Positively loading scales on Factor 2 (Arousable Temperament) were Trait Arousability, Emotional Empathy, Emotional Thinking, and Affiliative Tendency. Factor 3 (Disciplined Goal Orientation) included Delay of Gratification (+), Impulsivity (-), Procrastination (-), Patience (+), Integrity (+), Adaptive Coping (+), and Intelligence (+). Positively loading scales on Factor 4 (Dominant Temperament) were Trait Dominance-Submissiveness, Social Competence, Achieving Tendency, and Self-Actualization. Factors 1, 3, 4, and intelligence exhibited positive relations with all peer-rated criterion measures of life success. Trait Arousability, representing Factor 2, correlated negatively with relationship, physical, work, and overall success. Physical attractiveness correlated positively with all success measures except emotional success. When success measures were regressed against intelligence and personality scales or factors, intelligence did not account for variance beyond that explained by personality.     

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEXUAL SELF-CONCEPT INVENTORY FOR EARLY ADOLESCENT GIRLS

The Sexual Self-Concept Inventory (SSCI) was developed to assess sexual self-concept in an ethnically diverse sample of urban early adolescent girls. Three scales (Sexual Arousability, Sexual Agency, and Negative Sexual Affect) were shown to be distinct and reliable dimensions of girls' sexual self-concepts. Validity was established through comparisons with established instruments. Sexual Arousability and Sexual Agency were associated with positive sexual self- esteem, positive future orientation toward sex, intentions to engage in intercourse, and lower levels of sexual experience. Negative Sexual Affect was associated with stronger abstinence attitudes and lack of intentions or orientation toward sex in the near future. The results indicate that the SSCI constitutes a valid means of assessing early adolescent girls' views of their sexuality and sexual behavior and may be of use in studies of health and risk-related decision making.     

Effects of trait anger and anger expression style on competitive attack responses in a wartime prisoner’s dilemma game

We assessed the role of trait anger and anger expression style on competitive/aggressive decision making and responding. In a 100‐trial iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma (IPD), with instructions to simulate wartime interactions, competition/aggression was defined as “attacking the opponent,” and “waiting for troop reinforcements” was the noncompetitive alternative response. Prior to play, 92 university student players completed the State‐Trait Anger Expression Inventory. They were then paired to play the IPD against partners of similar or dissimilar trait anger levels. At postplay, the State Anger scale was readministered. Results showed significant preplay to postplay increases in state anger, with greater increases shown by high trait anger players. Thus, high trait anger players were especially subject to arousal. Players in the high trait anger group made more competitive/attack responses, and they were more likely to do so when paired with a high trait anger partner. As a result of the high level of competitive/aggressive play, both groups ended with a negative troop count. Trait anger as a general personality temperament was predictive of state anger, competitive/attack responses, and the number of trials before a retaliation was made. The expressive style of anger‐control was also related to manner of play. Trait anger had strong direct and indirect effects through anger control on the number of competitive attack responses. It was concluded that trait anger, especially trait anger/temperament, and anger control difficulties may be toxic personality factors in decision making and competitive behavior. Aggr. Behav. 28:117–125, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The relationship between hospital restructuring,anger, hostility and psychosomatics in nurses

This study examines the relationship between hospital restructuring, psychosomatic reactions, anger and hostility in nurses. Scales assessed extent of hospital restructuring. Anger was assessed using the State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) Scales. Results suggested that restructuring is a stressful and anger‐provoking experience which increases with more restructuring initiatives. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of Task-Related Arousal Under Conditions of Environmental Distraction1

The Arousability Predisposition Scale (APS) was used to assess individual differences in arousal that occur when a task is performed under conditions of environmental distraction. The APS is a brief (12-item) scale, that purportedly measures arousability as a trait or predisposition. To manipulate arousal experimentally, subjects performed a speeded search task under conditions of visual and auditory distraction. Pre- and postdistraction task measures of arousal were taken using Thayer's Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List. The distraction task caused a general increase in arousal as compared to a control group who did not perform the task. Although there were no differences in pretest measures, subjects judged highly arousable on the APS showed a greater change in task-related arousal than subjects judged low on arousability, validating the usefulness of the APS as a measure of arousability under conditions of environmental stress.     

Anxiety and locus of conflict in emotionally disturbed children

The State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS) were administered to 50 emotionally disturbed children (40 males and 10 females). In addition, ratings on a Locus of Conflict Rating Scale were obtained from their special education teachers. Significant correlations were obtained between all anxiety measures. However, anxiety, as measured by the CMAS, A State and A Trait, was not significantly correlated with the ratings of internalization, externalization, or the total maladjustment index. Girls reported greater anxiety than boys on the CMAS and the STAIC A Trait scale, while boys were rated as significantly higher on the internalization and externalization scales, and in total maladjustment.     

Sex Role Orientation and Female Sexual Functioning

This study investigates the differences among women in four sex-role categories–Feminine, Masculine, Androgynous, and Undifferentiated–with regard to sexual behavior and attitudes. The sample consists of 300 undergraduate and graduate women enrolled in 27 classes during the spring of 1978. Four criterion instruments are used: (1) the Bern Sex Role Inventory , (2) the Sexual Arousability Inventory , (3) the Sexual Behavior Inventory, and (4) the Sexual Data Form. Eight null hypotheses are tested. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences (p ≦.05) on three of the eight comparisons. A post hoc analysis revealed the source of significance to be between Undifferentiated women and women in the other three sex-role categories on satisfaction with sexual responsivity and frequency of an orgasm with partner.     

‘Preparedness’ and ‘arousability’ as determinants of electrodermal conditioning

‘Arousability’, as defined through spontaneous electrodermal responses, has been empirically linked to anxiety, phobic symptoms and outcome of systematic desensitization. Previous data from our laboratory indicate that ‘preparedness’, as defined through potentially phobic vs. fear-irrelevant or ‘neutral’ conditioned stimuh, is an important determinant of electrodermal conditioning. The present experiment compared groups selected to be high or low in spontaneous responding during differential conditioning to potentially phobic or neutral stimuh. It was found that the effects of these two factors were essentially additive, i.e. conditioning and resistance to extinction were better for phobic stimuli and for high-arousal groups. The high-aroused group with phobic stimuh showed diffuse responding during acquisition, not differentiating between reinforced and unreinforced cues. However, it was the only group that failed to extinguish during 20 trials, which indicates that high arousal gives superior resistance to extinction particularly for phobic stimuli.     

特质应对与展现规则对情绪劳动的影响

采用2×3组间设计, 检测特质应对(积极与消极)与展现规则(积极、消极、无规则)对情绪劳动的影响。结果表明, 积极应对引起更多深层动作; 积极规则下出现较少表层扮演(与消极应对比)。积极和消极规则都引起较多深层和表层动作。积极应对在积极规则下表层扮演较少(与消极规则比); 消极应对在积极规则下表层扮演较多(与消极规则比)。研究提示, 特质情绪性可能是调节展现规则与情绪劳动关系的重要原因。     

Psychometric revision and differential item functioning in the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

One of the psychological problems with highest prevalence is anxiety. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory is one of the instruments to measure it. This questionnaire assesses Trait Anxiety (understood as a personality factor that predisposes one to suffer from anxiety) and State Anxiety (refers to environment factors that protect from or generate anxiety). The questionnaire was adapted in Spain in 1982. Therefore, the goal of the study is to review the current psychometric properties of the STAI. A total of 1036 adults took part in the study. Cronbach's alpha reliability was .90 for Trait and .94 for State Anxiety. Factor analysis showed similar results compared with the original data. Moreover, differential item functioning (DIF) was carried out to explore sex bias. Only one of the 40 items showed DIF problems. Lastly, a t-Test was run, comparing the original and current values; whereas Trait Anxiety varied in 1 point, State Anxiety had differences of up to 6 points. In general, this result shows that the STAI has maintained adequate psychometric properties and has also been sensitive to increased environmental stimuli that produce stress.     

Adult attachment and forgiveness in Taiwanese college students

The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between measures of adult attachment and forgiveness in college students in Taiwan. Participants (203 women and 82 men; M age = 19.6 yr., SD = 1.2) completed measures of adult attachment dimensions (Adult Attachment Scale), State Forgiveness (Forgiveness Scale), and Trait Forgiveness (Forgiveness Likelihood Scale). Pearson correlations and regression results indicated ratings on three dimensions of adult attachment, Dependence, Anxiety, and Closeness, were significantly related to State Forgiveness, and all but scores on Dependence were significantly related to scores on Trait Forgiveness. Only ratings of Anxiety and Closeness significantly predicted those on State and Trait Forgiveness. The findings provided partial support for using attachment theory to understand the construct of forgiveness.     

Personality and Temperament Correlates of Marital Satisfaction

Participants (166 married couples, ages 20–85) were administered marital satisfaction and Pleasantness-Arousability-Dominance temperament scales. Participants with more pleasant and more dominant temperaments, and those who had mates with more pleasant temperaments, were happier in their marriages. Temperament accounted for substantially more variance (30%–34% in marital satisfaction than effect sizes reported in the personality/marital satisfaction literature. Because Pleasantness is a general index of psychological adjustment, findings implied that better adjusted persons, and those with better adjusted mates, were more satisfied in marriage. Unpleasant and submissive (i.e., depressed) wives were highly dissatisfied in marriage. Although intermate temperament similarity on Pleasantness and Dominance (but not on Arousability) correlated positively with marital satisfaction, similarity was a weaker and somewhat misleading predictor of satisfaction in comparison to findings when individual temperament scores were treated as separate variables. Also, weak results showed individuals selected mates with temperaments similar to their own.     

Alcohol-aggression expectancies and dispositional rumination moderate the effect of alcohol consumption on alcohol-related aggression and hostility

Alcohol consumption increases aggression, but only in some drinkers. This study extends previous work to show how expectancies for alcohol-induced aggression and dispositional rumination moderate the link between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related aggression and hostility in a sample of 285 men and women. Alcohol-aggression expectancies and quantity of alcohol interacted to predict alcohol-related hostility and aggression. Trait rumination moderated the effect of alcohol consumption on aggressive acts. Finally, women who ruminated were more likely to report alcohol-related aggression than were men who ruminated. These results suggest that alcohol expectancies for aggression and rumination constitute two important cognitive facilitators of alcohol-related aggression and hostility, and that gender plays an important role in these relations.     

Affectivity,Family Drinking History,and the Development of Problem Drinking: A Longitudinal Analysis1

This study examined the longitudinal relationships among two central constructs of affectivity–family history of alcoholism, and alcohol use and use-related problems. Data used in this study were obtained from a nonclinical sample interviewed originally when subjects were 12, 15, or 18 years of age, and followed up twice more at three-year intervals. The results of this study indicate a strong role for negative affect and arousability as dimensions of affectivity in modulating alcohol-related consequences. Individuals who display consistently heightened arousability and negative affect, particularly in combination, appear to display the greatest use intensity over longer time intervals. Conversely, the fact that combined persistently low arousability and negative affect were consistently related to lower use intensity and fewer consequences suggests a possible role for lowered levels of these dimensions as a protective factor against transition to problematic outcomes. Arousability appears to be most strongly related to use intensity, while family drinking history status and negative affect were found to be significant contributors to problems.     

大学生特质焦虑:结构及其特点

本研究采用自编大学生特质焦虑问卷和斯皮尔伯格特质焦虑问卷测查了497名1至4年级大学生的特质焦虑.结果表明:①自编特质焦虑问卷可以提取五个因子,分别命名为学习焦虑,就业焦虑,人际焦虑,健康焦虑和惧怕否定评价焦虑;②自编问卷有较好的信度和效度,其克伦巴赫a系数、各维度与总分的相关以及与Spielberger焦虑问卷的相关均达到了心理测量学所认可的标准;③在学习焦虑上,有显著的年级差异,年级越高焦虑水平越低;在就业焦虑上,有显著的城乡差异和性别差异,农村学生的焦虑水平高于城市学生,女生高于男生.     

Additional study of the Youth-Depression Adjective Check List

Replicated and extended aspects of determinations of reliability and validity for the State version of the Youth-Depression Adjective Check List. Students from Grades 9 through 12 (64 girls and 41 boys) completed the State version and the Adolescent Activities Checklist on each of 12 consecutive days and completed the Trait version, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List--Revised Grade 6, and the Adolescent Activities Checklist at the beginning and the end of the study. Good reliability and validity of the State version were confirmed and extended, and preliminary information on characteristics of the Trait version of the Youth-Depression Adjective Check List also was presented. The State version seems suitable for use in research with adolescents and preadolescents. More study of the Trait version is recommended.     

Objective and perceived physiological arousal in trait social anxiety and post-event processing of a prepared speaking task

This study investigated the influence of trait social anxiety on subjective and physiological responses to an anticipated stressor. Seventy normotensive female students characterized as either high or low in social anxiety engaged in a demanding speech task after an anticipation period of one week that provided opportunity to prepare for the task. Trait social anxiety substantially influenced objective and perceived physiological arousal. High socially anxious individuals displayed greater heart rate reactivity and greater increases in perceived arousal that were in excess of objective HR reactivity. Perceived, but not objective arousal, partially mediated the relationship between social anxiety and negative post-task reappraisals of perceived coping resources. Furthermore, self-evaluations were found to be an essential determinant of post-task rumination. The results provide support for central predictions of cognitive models on social phobia.     

Trait BIS predicts alpha asymmetry and P300 in a Go/No‐Go task

Inspired by the revised Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) theory the present study probed the association between individual differences in Trait BIS and electroencephalogram indicators of conflict processing/inhibition. Sixty‐nine male participants either high or low in Trait BIS completed a Go/No‐Go task while the electroencephalogram was recorded. As expected, Trait BIS was associated with the No‐Go‐anteriorisation of the P300 event‐related potential (i.e. an index of response inhibition presumably generated in the dorsal anterior cingulate—an area implicated in conflict processing) and with No‐ Go‐related changes towards left frontal alpha activity (i.e. presumably more activity in right prefrontal cortex—an area implicated in response inhibition). These findings support the role of conflict processing attributed to BIS functioning in the revised theory. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validity of two measures of anxiety in children

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAICj and the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS) were administered to 60 emotionally disturbed children and 60 normal children matched on mental age. Emotionally disturbed children obtained significantly higher scores on the A-State and A-Trait portions of the STAIC and the anxiety portion of the CMAS, while normal children obtained significantly higher scores on the Lie scale of the CMAS. Cutoff scores which maximized the discrimination between normal and emotionally disturbed children were established. Results are interpreted as demonstrating the potential usefulness of these measures for screening.