Age of acquisition estimates for 1,208 ambiguous and polysemous words

Age of acquisition (AoA) estimates are provided for 3,460 senses of 1,208 words (i.e., words with multiple meanings e.g., duck). The AoA rating estimates appear to be relatively consistent across participants. The Spearman-Brown split-half reliability coefficient is .95, while the correlations between each participant’s ratings and the overall mean ratings yielded correlation coefficients between .325 to .794 with a mean of .69 (SD = .10). These estimates will be of use to those interested in: (a) the influence of AoA on word processing, (b) the influence of AoA on meaning access, (c) the structure of semantic memory, and (d) developmental trends in lexical ambiguity resolution. These AoA estimates can be downloaded from the Psychonomic Society’s Web archive of norms, stimuli, and data at .     

Construct Validity of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices for African and Non‐African Engineering Students in South Africa

We test the hypothesis that the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices has the same construct validity in African university students as it does in non‐African students by examining data from 306 highly select 17‐ to 23‐year olds in the Faculties of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of the Witwatersrand (177 Africans, 57 East Indians, 72 Whites; 54 women, 252 men). Analyses were made of the Matrices scores, an English Comprehension test, the Similarities subscale from the South African Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, end‐of‐year university grades, and high‐school grade point average. Out of the 36 Matrices problems, the African students solved an average of 23; East Indian students, 26; and White students, 29 (p<.001), placing them at the 60th, 71st, and 86th percentiles, respectively, and yielding IQ equivalents of 103, 108, and 118 on the 1993 US norms. The same pattern of group differences was found on the Comprehension Test, the Similarities subscale, university course grades, and high‐school grade‐point average. The items on the Matrices ‘behaved’ in the same way for the African students as they did for the non‐African students, thereby indicating the test's internal validity. Item analyses, including a confirmatory factor analysis, showed that the African/non‐African difference was most pronounced on the general factor of intelligence. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by correlating the Matrices with the other measures, both individually and in composite. For the African group, the mean r=.28, p<.05, and for the non‐African group, the mean r=.27, p<.05. Although the intercepts of the regression lines for the two groups were significantly different, their slopes were not. The results imply that scores on the Raven's Matrices are as valid for Africans as they are for non‐Africans.     

Validation of the AMBIANCE-brief: An observational screening instrument for disrupted caregiving

Resulting from a community-identified need for a well-validated indicator of caregiving difficulties for use in practice settings, a brief form of the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification System (AMBIANCE) was developed for use as a screening instrument. Prior to its dissemination, this study aimed to assess the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the AMBIANCE-Brief. Adolescent mother–infant dyads (N = 69) participated in the Strange Situation Procedure, as well as play sessions with and without toys. Maternal disrupted caregiving was coded from the play sessions using the AMBIANCE and AMBIANCE-Brief. The AMBIANCE-Brief demonstrated convergent validity with the AMBIANCE in the play session with toys (r = .65, p < .001) and without toys (r = .61, p < .001). Concurrent validity of the AMBIANCE-Brief was also demonstrated in relation to infant attachment disorganization in the play session with toys (r = .36, p < .05) and without toys (r = .32, p < .01). These findings suggest a shorter protocol for assessing disrupted caregiving may be feasible and valid for use in community settings. Future studies are in progress to train community practitioners in the use of the AMBIANCE-Brief and to evaluate their reliability.     

Habit as both a direct cause of intention to use a condom and as a moderator of the attitude-intention and subjective norm-intention relations

Abstract

Undergraduates at an American university were asked questions about their attitudes, subjective norms, habits, and intentions towards using a condom during sexual intercourse. Consistent with previous research (Chan and Fishbein, 1993; Trafimow, 1994), intentions were well predicted by attitudes and subjective norms (r = 0.88 and r = 0.73, p < 0.01 in both cases). Intentions were also well predicted by habits (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). More interestingly, however, for participants who were in the habit of using condoms, attitudes and subjective norms were not significant predictors of intentions to use condoms in the future (r = 0.18 and r = 0.10, p<0.1 in both cases). In contrast, attitudes and subjective norms were strong predictors for participants who were not in the habit of using condoms (r = 0.81 and r = 0.61, p < 0.01 in both cases). These findings were replicated in a second study.     

Contralateral Transfer of the Phenomenon of Repeated Bout Rate Enhancement in Unilateral Index Finger Tapping

Abstract

These hypotheses were tested: (1) Freely chosen frequency in unilateral index finger tapping is correlated between the two index fingers, and (2) A 3-min bout of unilateral index finger tapping followed by 10?min rest results in an increase of the freely chosen tapping frequency performed by the contralateral index finger in a second bout. Thirty-two adults participated. Freely chosen tapping frequencies from first bouts were 167.2?±?79.0 and 161.5?±?69.4 taps/min for the dominant and non-dominant hand, respectively (p=.434). These variables correlated (R=.86, p<.001). When bout one and two were performed with the dominant and non-dominant hand, respectively, the frequency increased by 8.1%±17.2% in bout two (p=.011). In opposite order, the frequency increased by 14.1%±17.5% (p<.001), which was not different from the ～8% (p=.157).     

Locus of control and persistence in structured and unstructured preschool classrooms

The effect of locus of control and classroom structure on persistence and attention in preschool children was examined. Teachers' ratings of persistence were obtained for 16 children from a relatively structured classroom and for 18 children from a relatively unstructured classroom. Locus of control was measured by administering the Preschool and Primary Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale (Nowicki & Duke, 1974). As predicted, teachers from the structured classrooms rated externally controlled children as more persistent (r=.55, p<.05), while teachers from the unstructured classroom rated internally controlled children as more persistent (r= -.35, p<.10). Practical implications of this line of research for making classroom placement decisions are discussed.     

Perceptual Experience Norms for 506 Russian Nouns: Modality Rating,Spatial Localization,Manipulability, Imageability and Other Variables

A number of new psycholinguistic variables has been proposed during the last years within embodied cognition framework: modality experience rating (i.e., relationship between words and images of a particular perceptive modality—visual, auditory, haptic etc.), manipulability (the necessity for an object to interact with human hands in order to perform its function), vertical spatial localization. However, it is not clear how these new variables are related to each other and to such traditional variables as imageability, AoA and word frequency. In this article, normative data on the modality (visual, auditory, haptic, olfactory, and gustatory) ratings, vertical spatial localization of the object, manipulability, imageability, age of acquisition, and subjective frequency for 506 Russian nouns are presented. Strongest correlations were observed between olfactory and gustatory modalities (.81), visual modality and imageability (.78), haptic modality and manipulability (.7). Other modalities also significantly correlate with imageability: olfactory (.35), gustatory (.24), and haptic (.67). Factor analysis divided variables into four groups where visual and haptic modality ratings were combined with imageability, manipulability and AoA (the first factor); word length, frequency and AoA formed the second factor; olfactory modality was united with gustatory (the third factor); spatial localization only is included in the fourth factor. Present norms of imageability and AoA are consistent with previous as correlation analysis has revealed. The complete database can be downloaded from supplementary material.     

The dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and the hospital anxiety and depression (HADS) in Chinese rosacea patients

The study aims to investigate the quality of life (QOL) and the psychological situation in Chinese patients with rosacea. A total of 196 healthy controls and 201 rosacea patients were involved in the final analysis. The general information, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were collected. Significantly higher DLQI, anxiety and depression score were observed in the rosacea group compared to the control group (p < .01). Total DLQI score of patients was positively related with anxiety (r = .526, p < .001) and depression scores (r = .399, p < .001) in HADS. Rosacea had significant psychological impact on Chinese patients and had substantial influence on their QOL. Physicians should address the psychosocial needs of rosacea patients as much as its physical symptoms.     

The predictive validity of peer assessment in law enforcement: a 6 year follow-up

This study examined the relations between peer assessment and long-term law enforcement/job performance. Sixty-nine law enforcement cadets completed peer rankings of likelihood of success in job performance. These peer rankings were significantly correlated with supervisor ratings, as well as absenteeism and retention, after 1 year of employment. In the present study, both subjective and objective job performance data were collected from a variety of employing job performance agencies after 6 years of employment. Peer rankings were still significantly correlated (r=.40, p<.05) with retention after 6 years, but were not significantly correlated to any job performance index. These results support the potential usefulness of peer assessment data even after several years have passed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reliability of heterosocial skills measurement with sex offenders

The heterosocial skills of 79 sex offenders were assessed using two self-report inventories, the Social Anxiety and Distress Scale (SAD) and the S-R Inventory of Anxiousness (SRI). In addition, staff members rated the offenders on modified versions of the SAD and the Heterosocial Skills Behavior Checklist for Males (HSB). Twenty-one offenders were also videotaped during a brief interaction with a female confederate. The tapes were rated using the HSB. All ratings and videotapings were conducted twice within a two-week period. The two self-report scales showed good test-retest reliability (r=.88) and correlatedr=.63 with each other. However, the SAD correlated significantly with the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale and showed significant change from first to second administrations. The SRI showed less reactivity to social desirability and changed less over time. The staff ratings showed higher test-retest (r=.72–.76) than interrater (r=.36–.43) reliability. They correlatedr=–.56 with each other and did not show a significant relationship to the Crowne-Marlowe. However, both staff-ratings changed significantly from test to retest. Inspection of correlations between staff and self-report measures indicated that these instruments may be strongly affected by rater variance. Different measures completed by the same person correlated higher than the same measure completed by different persons. The HSB showed high levels of interrater agreement (90–100%) and split-half reliability (r=.95–.97). However, test-retest reliability was poor for the overall score and for the category measuring form of conversation. Categories measuring voice and affect were moderately reliable over time (r=.53–.74). However, the voice category scores changed substantially from first to second videotaping. On almost all measures used in this study, the sex offenders' scores were similar to those derived from normal populations. Only the category measuring affect on the HSB seemed to differentiate this group from normals.     

Assessment of tobacco craving by means of the affective image visualization paradigm

Smoking cues that increase craving are subjectively described by smokers as pleasant rather than unpleasant. However, it remains controversial whether the motivational nature of these smoking cues is consistent with an appetitive or aversion-relief model of tobacco craving. In the two studies presented here, the Bioinformational model of emotion proposed by Lang was used to address this issue. In study I, 40 smokers (10 males) assessed a set of tobacco-related pictures and a subset of standard pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures in order to examine how craving relates to the three general dimensions of emotion: valence, arousal, and dominance. Results showed that the tobacco-related images were all assessed as appetitive, and craving was correlated positively with valence (r = .863, p < .0001) and arousal (r = .923, p < .0001) and negatively with dominance (r = −.504, p < .002). In study II, 24 female abstinent smokers were examined using Lang’s startle modulation paradigm in order to assess whether tobacco-related pictures, compared to standard pleasant and unpleasant ones, inhibited the startle response, consistent with an appetitive model of tobacco craving. Contrary to expectations, the startle response during visualization of tobacco-related pictures was more similar in magnitude to the response to unpleasant than to pleasant images, a finding inconsistent with an appetitive model of tobacco craving.     

Happiness as Stable Extraversion: Internal Consistency Reliability and Construct Validity of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Among Undergraduate Students

The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was developed by Hills and Argyle (2002) to provide a more accessible equivalent measure of the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI). The aim of the present study was to examine the internal consistency reliability, and construct validity of this new instrument alongside the Eysenckian dimensional model of personality. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was completed by a sample of 131 undergraduate students together with the abbreviated form of the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. The data demonstrated good internal consistency reliability (alpha = .92) and good construct validity in terms of positive association with extraversion (r = .38 p < .001) and negative association with neuroticism (r = −.57 p < .001). The kind of happiness measured by the OHQ is clearly associated with stable extraversion.     

Objective age-of-acquisition (AoA) norms for a set of 230 object names in French: Relationships with psycholinguistic variables,the English data from Morrison et al. (1997), and naming latencies

Picture naming speed is strongly influenced by the age of acquisition (AoA) of words. Most studies of AoA have relied on adults' AoA ratings. However, objective AoA has been found to be a stronger determinant of picture naming latencies. Whereas objective AoA norms for words have been collected for some language communities, no objective AoA measures for words were previously available in French. The study provides objective AoA norms for a set of 230 object names following the procedures used by Morrison, Chappell, and Ellis (1997) to collect objective AoA measures in English. The relationships between objective AoA measures, rated AoA, other variables used in psycholinguistic experiments (name agreement, image agreement, conceptual familiarity, etc.), the English data collected by Morrison et al., and naming latencies are analysed and discussed. In addition, reanalyses of data on picture naming latencies (Bonin, Chalard, Méot, & Fayol, 2002) with the use of objective AoA norms are provided. Stepwise multiple analyses show that objective AoA is a stronger determinant of (spoken and written) naming latencies than rated AoA, whereas objective word frequency is not a reliable independent determinant and does not interact reliably with AoA in any of the analyses.     

Rating Level and Accuracy as a Function of Rater Personality

We investigated the predictability of rating level and two measures of rating accuracy from rater Agreeableness (A) and Conscientiousness (C) scores of the Five Factor Model. One hundred and twenty‐six students made peer ratings after participating in several group exercises under conditions designed to emulate the modal peer rating system in which raters had low accountability for their ratings. Scores were correlated with average rating level (r=.18, p<.05) and both measures of rating accuracy (p<.05) and C scores were correlated with rating level (?.20, p<.05) and both measures of rating accuracy (p<.05). As suggested by Bernardin, Villanova, and Cooke (Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 232–236, 2000), raters who were both more agreeable and less conscientious made the most lenient and least accurate ratings. Contrary to Yun, Donahue, Dudley, and McFarland (International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 13, 97–107, 2005), more agreeable raters also tended to rate the least effective performers more leniently than did other raters.     

Maternal and paternal parenting styles associated with relational aggression in children and adolescents: A conceptual analysis and meta-analytic review

How does parenting affect relational aggression in children? The goal of the present series of meta-analyses based on 48 studies (28,097 children) was to analyze and integrate the findings on the associations between various types of parenting behaviors and relational aggression, and to identify potential substantive and methodological factors that may moderate these associations. To distinguish between different parenting strategies, experts sorted the parenting measures used in the studies into 10 groups. Results of a multiple correspondence analysis revealed four separate clusters: Positive parenting, psychologically controlling parenting, negative/harsh parenting, and uninvolved parenting. The meta-analyses demonstrated that more positive parenting was associated with less relational aggression (combined effect sizes r = −.06, p < .05, for mothers, r = −.08, p < .01, for fathers). More harsh parenting (combined effect sizes r = .11, p < .01, for mothers, r = .12, p < .01, for fathers) and more uninvolved parenting (combined effect sizes r = .07, p < .01, for mothers, absent for fathers) were associated with increased relational aggression. Paternal psychologically controlling parenting was positively related to relational aggression (r = .05, p < .01), whereas maternal psychologically controlling parenting was not (combined effect sizes r = .04, p = .09). The effect of several moderators is discussed. The findings of this study suggest that dimensions of positive and negative parenting behaviors of mothers and fathers are associated with children’s relational aggression and that these associations are – in case of fathers – contingent upon a number of sampling and procedural characteristics.     

Better Late than Never? The Relationship between Ratings of Attendance,Punctuality, and Overall Job Performance among Nursing Home Employees

This study examined the relationship between lateness, absenteeism, and overall job performance among nursing home employees. We addressed four issues: (a) agreement between subordinate and superior in their ratings, (b) the stability of rated lateness and rated absenteeism over 6 months, (c) the correlation between ratings of lateness and absenteeism assigned by the worker to himself or herself and the corresponding ratings from supervisors, and (d) the relationship of rated lateness and rated absenteeism to impressions of overall job performance. Neither attendance nor punctuality showed inter‐rater agreement between the worker and his/her supervisor on either of the two occasions. Ratings of attendance were not stable across time for either the subordinate (r=.16) or the supervisor (r=.04), but punctuality ratings showed moderate temporal stability over 6 months for both subordinate (r=.59) and supervisor (r=. 41) impressions. On the first administration of the rating form, attendance and punctuality were not significantly correlated to each other in either the workers' self‐ratings (r=.17) nor the supervisors' ratings of the workers (r=.08). On the second administration, however, these two facets were moderately correlated with each other in both workers' (r=.54) and supervisors' (r=. 39) impressions of employee behavior. Compared with attendance, punctuality was somewhat more highly correlated with impressions of overall job performance from the perspective of the worker herself/himself as well as the supervisor.     

The Bristol norms for age of acquisition, imageability, and familiarity

Ratings of age of acquisition (AoA), imageability, and familiarity were collected for 1,526 words. The methodology made use of a modular approach, in which the full sample of words was divided into five separate blocks. Within each block, each word was rated on each of the three variables by 20 participants (undergraduate students from the University of Bristol). Analyses comparing these ratings to existing norm databases demonstrated that this methodology resulted in high reliability (assessed by Cronbach’s α) and validity. The ratings were also transformed to be compatible with the Gilhooly and Logie (1980) norms. This transformation resulted in a set of norms for 3,394 words, which is by far the largest database of ratings for AoA, imageability, and familiarity to date. The resulting database should be useful for researchers interested in manipulating or controlling these factors in word recognition, neuropsychological, or memory studies. These norms can be downloaded from language.psy.bris .ac.uk/bristol_norms.html.     

Self-Esteem, Teasing and Quality of Life: African American Adolescent Girls Participating in a Family-Based Pediatric Overweight Intervention

Two studies investigated overweight in African American girls. First, African American adolescent girls (BMI was ≥ 85th percentile) and their mothers participated in focus groups addressing weight and eating. Although mothers and daughters shared some similar views on these issues, there were important discrepancies, with mothers expressing greater doubt about the potential success of a healthy weight program. The second study evaluated baseline data from 39 African American girls participating in a weight management program; mothers' reports were also analyzed. In both studies, adolescents reported significant teasing, and in the second study, teasing was inversely associated with social quality of life (β=.55, t=3.01, p=.007). Motivation to participate was positively associated with teasing (r=.50, p < .01). Self-esteem was inversely related to positive health habits (all p < .05). Mothers who viewed their daughters as having higher self-esteem were less concerned about their daughters' weight. Differences in mothers' and daughters' perceptions highlight the importance of a family approach in pediatric overweight interventions. Results provide evidence that overweight African American girls face significant weight stigmatization and suggest areas to target regarding intervention implementation.

Examination of the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Religiosity as Mediated by Psychological Inflexibility

A relationship between perfectionism and religiosity has been suggested in the literature, and this relationship is clarified further when the adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of both constructs are compared. Literature in both areas implicates the idea of a rigid and inflexible personality style that may explain why well meaning high standards can be associated with negative outcomes such as perfectionism. This investigation examined the relationship of perfectionism and religiosity, using adaptive and maladaptive dimensions, as mediated by psychological inflexibility. Validated measures of perfectionism, religiosity, and psychological inflexibility were given to 376 undergraduate college students in an anonymous online survey. Adaptive perfectionism (high standards) was found to be significantly correlated (r = .26, p < .01, two-tailed) with adaptive religiosity (intrinsic orientation). Maladaptive perfectionism (discrepancy) was found to be significantly correlated (r = .13, p < .05, two-tailed) with maladaptive religiosity (extrinsic orientation). Psychological inflexibility was found to be significantly correlated with the maladaptive dimensions of both perfectionism and religiosity. It was also shown to mediate the relationship between maladaptive (extrinsic) religiosity and maladaptive (discrepancy) perfectionism. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

A computerized test for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment subtypes in sentence processing

This study examines thesentence processing ability of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes. In addition to standard MCI neuropsychological tests, an experimental approach was applied to assess language. 133 people (93 MCI/40 controls) participated in novel computerized sentence processing tasks. Results presented statistically significant differences between MCI/controls andMCI subtypes (ANOVA):(a) duration F(2,92) = 19.259,p < .001) in sentence construction; (b) correct answers (F(2, 89) = 8.560,p < .001) and duration (F2,89) = 15.525,p < .001)in text comprehension; (c) correct answers (F(2, 92) = 8.975,p < .001) andduration (F(2, 92) = 4.360,p = .016) in metaphoric sentences comprehension; (d) correct answers (F(2, 92) = 12.836,p < .001) andduration (F(2, 92) = 10.974,p < .001) in verb form generation. Subtle changes in MCIsubtypes could affect sentence processing and provide useful information for cognitive decline risk estimation and screening purposes.