A comparison of obese and normal-weight families' sychological characteristics

Abstract

The present study assessed obese and normal-weight family members' perceptions of their nuclear family's social and environmental characteristics. Preliminary results support previous correlational and case studies that suggest obese families are dysfunctional. Results from the Family Environment Scale indicate that obese families perceive their family characteristics differently compared to normal-weight families or to a representative sample of families. Specifically, obese families perceive their homes as less cohesive, more conflictual, less interested in social and cultural activities, and less organized compared to normal-weight families. Obese parents also perceive themselves as more controlling and their families as less independent compared to nonobese parents.     

Aspects of body image perception in obese and normal-weight youngsters

Perceptual and projective aspects of body image in obese youngsters (not in psychological treatment) and normal-weight youngsters 8–9 years of age and 12–13 years of age were investigated. The results indicate that perceptual distortions in estimating various body dimensions of oneself are primarily a function of age rather than weight status. The accuracy of estimating the weight of peers and an adult showed an association with the sex of the subject. No group differences were found in terms of projective aspects of body image as measured by barrier and penetration responses. This study suggests that obese youngsters in the middle childhood and entering puberty periods in comparison to normal-weight youngsters of the same age do not manifest differences in perceptual factors of body image.     

Physiological arousal of obese persons to food stimuli

Physiological arousal was measured in 20 obese and 20 normal-weight subjects during presentation of imagery tasks with food- and nonfood-related stimuli and during presentation and eating of food. No differential arousal, as measured by skin conductance, was obtained between the groups for any of the stimuli. Presentation and eating of the food did produce significant arousal in subjects.     

Anticipated emotions and personal experience for predicting behavioral intentions and behavioral expectations

We tested how anticipated emotions interact with personal experience in risk behavior to improve predictions from TPB on behavioral intention (BI) and behavioral expectation (BE) for sex without condom (Study 1) and excessive drinking (Study 2). In the moderate-high experience group, anticipated emotional profiles (AEPs) improve TPB prediction from 28% to 45% in the case of BI and from 19% to 40% in that of BE in relation to sexual risk behavior (Study 1), and from 23% to 36% in the case of BI and from 17% to 31% in that of BE in relation to binge drinking (Study 2). However, in the low-experience group (Study 2) AEPs improve TPB predictions for BI (12% to 34%) but not for BE, showing that in less experienced people BI and BE are not equivalent: anticipated emotions have different relevance in their prediction. These results were replicated using a general negative anticipated emotion index (averaging emotional categories).     

Nurses' attitudes and behavioral intentions concerning AIDS care

The problem of the rapidly growing AIDS epidemic is compounded by negative attitudes and unwillingness to care for such patients by reportedly high percentages of nurses. On the basis of the literature, an exploratory interactive model predicting willingness to provide care is derived and tested. Results suggest that attitude is positively related to the behavioral intention to provide AIDS care. This relationship is more pronounced for nurses who score low on the variable of conservative views.     

Palatability of food as a factor influencing obese and normal-weight children''s eating habits

The type and amount of food leftover from school lunches by normal-weight and obese elementary school children was examined for its similarity to the pattern reported by Krassner et al. (1979) in a study of normal-weight and obese college students. In this study 102 observations of children between the ages of 9–11, were taken over eight lunch periods in their school cafeteria. Overall, the normal-weight children left only slightly more food uneaten than did the obese children. However, when food palatability was examined, it was found that normal-weight children left over twice as much palatable food as did obese children. Children did not differ on the amount of unpalatable food left uneaten.

These results suggest that Krassner et al.'s observation that obese adults leave less food on their plates may be extended to children and, further, that like obese adults, obese children may be more influenced by the palatability of food than their normal-weight peers.     

Mechanisms linking employee affective delivery and customer behavioral intentions

Past empirical evidence has indicated that employee affective delivery can influence customer reactions (e.g., customer satisfaction, service quality evaluation). This study extends previous research by empirically examining mediating processes underlying the relationship between employee affective delivery and customer behavioral intentions. Data were collected from 352 employee-customer pairs in 169 retail shoe stores in Taiwan. Results showed that the influence of employee affective delivery on customers' willingness to return to the store and pass positive comments to friends was indirect through the mediating processes of customer in-store positive moods and perceived friendliness. The study also indicated that employee affective delivery influences customers' time spent in store, which, in turn, influences customer behavioral intentions.     

Infants' behavioral reenactment of "failed attempts": exploring the roles of emulation learning,stimulus enhancement,and understanding of intentions

Two studies were conducted to examine whether infants' reenactment of intended but unconsummated acts in A. N. Meltzoff's (1995) failed-attempt paradigm is due to reading the adult's underlying intention or to the effects of nonimitative social learning processes. Two novel conditions that emphasized the object affordances and the spatial contiguity of the object sets were devised. When infants' first actions only were counted, infants who observed the full-demonstration model produced more target acts. When all target acts produced within the 20-s response period were counted, infants in the emulation-learning and spatial contiguity conditions produced as many target acts as infants in the full-demonstration and failed-attempt conditions. This pattern of findings suggests that nonimitative social learning processes may influence infants' response in the behavioral reenactment paradigm.     

The influence of T-shirt graphics on perceptions and behavioral intentions

Do graphics on clothing drive perceptions? We used a between group design to test if athletic, academic, or suggestive graphics on clothing differentially influence perceptions and behavioral intentions. In study 1, participants (N = 199) rated five female t-shirt models, and in study 2 and 3, participants rated five male t-shirt models (N = 120) or university students (N = 50). Analyses of variance controlling for sex (ANCOVA) showed participants were least likely to want to interact with models/students wearing sexually suggestive graphics: Study 1, F(3,165) = 30.263, p < .001, η_p ²  = .30, power = 1.00; Study 2, F (3,119) = 11.630, p < .000, η_p ² = .234, and Study 3, F(1, 42) = 12.578, p < .000. Participants did not rate models in the academic and athletic graphic shirts differently from models with plain white shirts. Results support the concept that people form different perceptions based upon the clothing a person wears, changing behavioral intentions. Neither sex role ideation (Study 1) or sexism (Study 2) were significant covariates of perceptions and intentions.     

Comparison of forced-choice and subjective probability scales measuring behavioral intentions

Three surveys compared the accuracy of predictions based on forced-choice and subjective probability scales. The latter produced significantly more accurate election predictions and significantly reduced the percentage of undecided, or "Don't Know" responses, compared to forced-choice scales in all three surveys. Analysis indicates subjective probability scales decrease sampling error and confirms there is an inherent source of error in traditional forced-choice questions about voting intentions not attributable to sampling error. The results are discussed with respect to (1) sampling and measurement errors in forced-choice and subjective probability scales measuring behavioral intentions, (2) their practical application, and (3) cognitive theory, especially support theory.     

Majority versus minority influence and prediction of behavioral intentions and behavior

Two experiments examined the effects of majority and minority influence on attitude-consistent behavioral intentions. In the first experiment, when attitudes were changed via minority influence there was a greater likelihood to engage in an attitude-consistent behavioral intention than when attitudes were changed via majority influence. This suggests that minority influence leads to stronger attitudes (based on systematic processing) that are more predictive of behavioral intentions, while attitude change via majority influence is due to compliance through non-systematic processing. Further support for this interpretation comes from the finding that the amount of message-congruent elaboration mediated behavioral intention. When there was no attitude change, there was no impact on behavioral intention to engage in an attitude-consistent behavior. Experiment 2 explored the role of personal relevance of the topic and also included a real behavioral measure. When the topic was of low personal relevance, the same pattern was found as Experiment 1. When the topic was of high personal relevance, thus increasing the motivation to engage in systematic processing, attitudes changed by both a majority and minority source increased behavioral intention and actual behavior. The results are consistent with the view that both majorities and minorities can lead to different processes and consequences under different situations.     

The effect of price discounts on green consumerism behavioral intentions

Green consumerism encourages consumers to demonstrate environmentally friendly behavior for protecting the environment and health of human beings. For example, if consumers wish to purchase take‐out beverages, they are encouraged to bring their own cups or water bottles rather than use disposable cups. This study, through 2 experiments, discussed the use of price discounts for encouraging green consumerism behavioral intentions. Experiment 1 examined the relationships among a green promotion setting, perceived nonmonetary and monetary sacrifice, and purchase intention toward the list price. The results of hierarchical regression models based on 120 valid questionnaires showed that perceived nonmonetary sacrifice fully mediated the relationship between a green promotion setting and the purchase intention toward the list price. Experiment 2 investigated the relationship between price discount levels and frames and a green or general promotion setting used by take‐out beverage shops. The results of the analysis of variance based on 900 valid questionnaires demonstrated that (i) the variation in consumer purchase intention in response to green consumerism promotion was lower than that in response to general promotion; (ii) the price discount threshold used in green consumerism promotion was 20%, which was higher than that in a general promotion setting; and (iii) consumers preferred a percentage discount offered during green consumerism promotion; however, they preferred a discount with a specific dollar amount in a general promotion setting. These results provide suggestions for improving green marketing and green consumerism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Psychiatric and behavioral disorders in persons with Down syndrome

Similar to the state of the broader intellectual disabilities field, many gaps exist in the research and treatment of mental health concerns in people with Down syndrome. This review summarizes key findings on the type and prevalence of behavior and emotional problems in children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome. Such findings include relatively low rates of severe problems in children, and well-documented risks of depression and Alzheimer's disease in older adults. The review also considers emerging data on autism, and the paucity of studies on adolescents. Three next steps for research are highlighted, including a need to: (1) connect research on psychiatric status and diagnoses across developmental periods, including adolescence, and to examine such associated processes as sociability, anxiety and attention; (2) unravel complicated biopsycho-social risk and protective factors that serve to increase or diminish psychopathology; and (3) identify evidence-based treatments that both reduce distressful symptoms and enhance well-being in individuals with Down syndrome.