The Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale: initial examination of its factor structure and correlates among Brazilian adults

The present study conducted a preliminary examination of the psychometric properties of a recently developed Portuguese translation of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005). A total of 311 Brazilian adults completed the ACSS along with Portuguese translations of measures of actual-ideal body weight discrepancy, body appreciation, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, and demographics. Results showed that the Portuguese ACSS reduced to a three-factor solution consisting of the Intrapersonal, Social, and Consider factors uncovered in the original work using the ACSS. Moreover, there were only small sex differences on these subscales. In addition, the Portuguese ACSS showed a good pattern of convergent validity. The availability of the Portuguese ACSS is expected to stimulate more in-depth, quantitative research on attitudes toward cosmetic surgery within the Brazilian context.     

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.     

The Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale: Confirmatory Factor Analyses and Validation among Serbian Adults

We examined the validity of the Serbian version of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King and Henderson-King 2005). A total of 622 Serbian adults completed the ACSS, along with Serbian translations of measures for the discrepancy between actual body weight and ideal body weight, body appreciation, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, and demographics. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to compare how different ACSS models fitted the collected data. A three-factor model provided the best fit to the data relative to two- and one-factor models. The three-factor model had good internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and nomological validity. The ACSS seems to be a valid instrument for use in Serbian populations. Our study will contribute towards better understanding of the acceptance of cosmetic surgery from a cross-cultural perspective.     

The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale

The current study examined the validity of the Italian version of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005) in a sample of 378 Italian adult women. A series of confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. A three-factor solution provided the best fit to the data and confirmed the Intrapersonal, Social, and Consider dimensions. The three factors were strongly inter-correlated. Cronbach's alphas were high (all alphas > .86). The scale showed good convergent and discriminant validity (estimated by Composite Reliability and the Average Variance Extracted). The nomological validity of the Italian version of the ACSS was confirmed by its significant correlations with participants’ body dissatisfaction and sociocultural influences (internalization of thin ideals and perceived media pressure). The ACSS seems to be a useful measure of acceptance of cosmetic surgery in the Italian context. This instrument can be used with Italian speakers for research, health promotion, and preventive interventions.     

Algorithmic complexity for psychology: a user-friendly implementation of the coding theorem method

Kolmogorov-Chaitin complexity has long been believed to be impossible to approximate when it comes to short sequences (e.g. of length 5-50). However, with the newly developed coding theorem method the complexity of strings of length 2-11 can now be numerically estimated. We present the theoretical basis of algorithmic complexity for short strings (ACSS) and describe an R-package providing functions based on ACSS that will cover psychologists’ needs and improve upon previous methods in three ways: (1) ACSS is now available not only for binary strings, but for strings based on up to 9 different symbols, (2) ACSS no longer requires time-consuming computing, and (3) a new approach based on ACSS gives access to an estimation of the complexity of strings of any length. Finally, three illustrative examples show how these tools can be applied to psychology.     

Factor structure of the Body Appreciation Scale among Malaysian women

The present study examined the factor structure of a Malay version of the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), a recently developed scale for the assessment of positive body image that has been shown to have a unidimensional structure in Western settings. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses based on data from community sample of 591 women in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, failed to support a unidimensional structure for the Malay BAS. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis suggested two stable factors, which were labelled 'General Body Appreciation' and 'Body Image Investment'. Multi-group analysis showed that the two-factor structure was invariant for both Malaysian Malay and Chinese women, and that there were no significant ethnic differences on either factor. Results also showed that General Body Appreciation was significant negatively correlated with participants' body mass index. These results are discussed in relation to possible cross-cultural differences in positive body image.     

Preliminary Validation of a Korean Version of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale‐Fearlessness About Death

The interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicide proposes that the desire for suicide must be accompanied by the capability to do so in order for an individual to engage in suicidal behavior. The Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale‐Fearlessness about Death (ACSS ‐FAD ) measures fearlessness about death, a core component of the capability for suicide. This study aimed to validate a Korean version of the ACSS ‐FAD in a college student sample. We administered the ACSS ‐FAD and measures of suicide ideation, fear of suicide, death anxiety, pain anxiety, and depression in a sample of Korean college students (N  = 301) and analyzed its reliability, factor structure, invariance across genders, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The one‐factor model achieved satisfactory model fit. Across genders, partial metric invariance and partial scalar invariance were established. The results also revealed that the ACSS ‐FAD has good internal consistency, convergent validity (positive correlations with fear of suicide, death anxiety, and pain anxiety), and discriminant validity (no relation with depression). The Korean version of the ACSS ‐FAD presents adequate psychometric properties and may be considered to be a promising instrument for measuring fearlessness about death in college students.     

Assessment of acquired capability for suicide in clinical practice

The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of suicide proposes that the interaction between Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, and Acquired Capability for Suicide (ACS) predicts proximal risk of death by suicide. Instruments to assess all three constructs are available. However, research on the validity of one of them, the acquired capability for suicide scale (ACSS), has been limited, especially in terms of its clinical relevance. This study aimed to explore the utility of the different versions of the ACSS in clinical assessment. Three versions of the scale were investigated, the full 20-item version, a 7-item version and a single item version representing self-perceived capability for suicide. In a sample of patients recruited from a clinic specialising in the treatment of suicidality and in a community sample, all versions of the ACSS were found to show reasonable levels of reliability and to correlate as expected with reports of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and attempted suicide. The item assessing self-perceived acquired capacity for suicide showed highest correlations with all levels of suicidal behaviour. However, no version of the ACSS on its own showed a capacity to indicate suicide attempts in the combined sample. It is concluded that the versions of the scale have construct validity, but their clinical utility is limited. An assessment using a single item on self-perceived ACS outperforms the full and shortened versions of ACSS in clinical settings and can be recommended with caution for clinicians interested in assessing this characteristic.     

An Examination of the Simple View of Reading Among Beginning Readers in Malay

This study examines the simple view of reading from the perspective of a language other than English, the Malay language. The aims of the study were to determine (a) the contributions of decoding and listening comprehension to reading comprehension in Malay; (b) which model, the multiplicative model or the additive model, of the simple view of reading contributes more toward the variance in reading comprehension; and (c) whether adding the speed of processing factor to the multiplicative model improves its power to predict reading comprehension among beginning readers in Malay. A sample of 117 beginning first-year readers attending Malaysian schools were assessed on a battery of reading and reading-related skills measures after 6 months of initial instruction in reading. Results indicated that reading comprehension was largely explained by the decoding component, with listening comprehension adding only a small amount to the variance accounted for. The additive model consisting of the summation of decoding and listening comprehension was found to be a better predictor of reading comprehension in Malay. Results also showed that speed of processing did not account for unique variance in reading comprehension. We propose that listening comprehension did not contribute substantially to the variance because it is artefactually reduced as a result of the level of text typically read by beginning readers.     

Construct Validity of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale: Factor Structure,Convergent and Discriminant Validity

The Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale (ACSS) assesses one of three main constructs in the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide but evidence of its validity is limited. In two studies (Ns = 287 and 738) validity of the full 20-item ACSS and its shorter versions (ACSS-5, ACSS-8, ACSS-FAD) were examined in terms of factor structure and relation to indices of self-reported suicidal behaviour and self-harm. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) failed to show good fit for one-, two-, or three-factor models of the ACSS in its various versions. Exploratory factor analysis of the 20-item scale in the first study pointed instead to a five-factor structure and this was supported using CFA in the second study. In both studies all scale versions showed moderate negative correlations to fear of death and dying, indicating scale validity for the purpose of assessing fearlessness about death. In the second study, a model in which the five factors were indicators of a latent variable of Capability was found to predict a latent variable of Suicidality as indicated by suicidal behaviours, but the prediction was substantially enhanced by the addition of Item 20 to the model. This single item was also found in the first study to better predict suicidal and self-harming behaviour than the full ACSS or any of its short versions.     

Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: Personality and individual difference predictors

This study examined the association between several attitudinal constructs related to acceptance of cosmetic surgery, and participant demographics, personality, and individual difference variables. A sample of 332 university students completed a battery of scales comprising the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS) and measures of the Big Five personality factors, self-esteem, conformity, self-assessed attractiveness, and demographics. Multiple regressions showed that the predictor variables explained a large proportion of the variance in ACSS factors (Adj. R² ranging between .31 and .60). In addition, structural equation modelling revealed that distal factors (sex and age) were generally associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery through the mediate influence of more proximate variables (in the first instance, the Big Five personality factors, followed by self-esteem and conformity, and finally self-assessed attractiveness). These results allow for the presentation of a preliminary model integrating personality and individual differences in predicting acceptance of cosmetic surgery.     

Pathways to Feminist Identification

Life experiences that expose individuals to feminism lead to greater subsequent self-identification as feminist (e.g., D. H. Henderson-King & A. J. Stewart, 1999). The goal of this research was to identify mediators of this exposure–identification relationship. Ninety-six women completed measures of prior exposure to feminism, feminist self-identification, and a set of potential mediating variables. Results suggest that the exposure–identification relationship is at least partially (if not fully) mediated by common fate with women and negative evaluations of feminists; women with more prior exposure to feminism reported greater common fate with women and less negative evaluations of feminists, each of which, in turn, was associated with stronger feminist identification. Limitations of the model and alternative pathways to politicized gender consciousness are discussed.     

Cross‐Linguistic Differences in Digit Memory Span

This study investigated whether the better performance of the Chinese in digit memory span tasks was due only to the shorter pronunciation duration of Chinese digit names, or to enhanced visuospatial sketchpad abilities, or to both. Results of the experiment showed that the Chinese outperformed their Malay counterparts in digit memory span tasks because Chinese digit names had shorter pronunciation durations than Malay digit names and not because the Chinese had better visuospatial sketchpad abilities than the Malays. The results thus support Baddeley's phonological loop hypothesis as an account for cross‐linguistic differences in digit memory spans. Because memory traces are subject to decay and the phonological store is temporally limited, the shorter the pronunciation duration of digit names in a language, the more digits one can rehearse within a limited time period, and therefore the larger is one's short‐term digit span in that language.     

Parent Ratings of the Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms: Item Response Theory Analyses of Cross-National and Cross-Racial Invariance

Item response theory (IRT) based differential item functioning (DIF) was used to examine the construct and normative invariance of the DSM-IV oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms for ratings across Malaysian and Australian children, and Malaysian Malay and Malaysian Chinese children. To accomplish these goals, parents completed the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale, which includes the eight DSM-IV ODD symptoms. Although the comparisons involving Malaysian and Australian children indicated DIF for five symptoms, only the symptom for “touchy” showed notable DIF. This was also the only symptom that showed DIF for the comparisons involving Malay and Chinese children. There were also minimal differences in the latent mean scores across Australian and Malaysian children and also Malay and Chinese children. These results indicate good support for the construct and normative invariance of the ODD symptoms for the samples compared.     

No evidence for reduced Simon cost in elderly bilinguals and bidialectals

We explored whether a bilingual advantage in executive control is associated with differences in cultural and ethnic background associated with the bilinguals' immigrant status, and whether dialect use in monolinguals can also incur such an advantage. Performance on the Simon task in older non-immigrant (Gaelic-English) and immigrant (Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malay, Punjabi, Urdu-English) bilinguals was compared with three groups of older monolingual English speakers, who were either monodialectal users of the same English variety as the bilinguals or were bidialectal users of a local variety of Scots. Results showed no group differences in overall reaction times as well as in the Simon effect thus providing no evidence that an executive control advantage is related to differences in cultural and ethnic background as was found for immigrant compared to non-immigrant bilinguals, nor that executive control may be improved by use of dialect. We suggest the role of interactional contexts and bilingual literacy as potential explanations for inconsistent findings of a bilingual advantage in executive control.     

Sex Differences in Self-Estimates on Two Validated IQ Test Subscale Scores

Two related studies investigated sex differences in self- and parental estimates of IQ scores on specific scales derived from standardized and validated IQ tests. In the first study 210 participants were asked to estimate their scores on the 11 WAIS-R subtests as well as their overall general IQ. Results showed males estimated their overall score, plus their total WAIS score, significantly higher than females, with effect sizes around 0.5. Factor analysis showed participants did differentiate between verbal and performance subscale scores on this test. In the second study 117 participants performed a similar task, but this time on the 12 subscales of the Stanford-Binet test. Males estimated their overall score higher than females. Factor analysis also showed 2 clear factors that reflected exactly the verbal and performance subscale scores.     

中国成年人认知风格调查报告*

应用《心理健康素质测评系统·中国成年人认知风格问卷》对全国23个省、市、自治区的6432名成年人的认知风格进行了调查。结果发现:中国成年人的认知风格总体水平较好。比较不同人口学特征的成年人在认知风格各维度上的差异发现:(1)女性在灾难化维度上得分显著高于男性;(2)随着年龄的增长,成年人的认知风格总均分及各维度得分均呈上升趋势;(3)农村成年人认知风格总均分及各维度得分显著高于城市成年人;(4)随着受教育程度的提高,成年人的认知风格总均分及各维度得分呈下降趋势;(5)年龄段与受教育程度在选择性提取维度上存在交互作用,其中初中文化程度的老年组被试得分最高。     

Islamising Malayness: Ulama discourse and authority in contemporary Malaysia

This paper seeks to discuss Malay identity as it has been understood by the Malay Muslim religious elites (the Ulama) in Malaysia. I posit that the Ulama’s voices have been privileged in the context of the Islamic resurgence period. Although there has been a general consensus by the Ulama that Islam is a key component of the Malay identity and that the two are inseparable, the Ulama are, at present, divided in the contest for a clear definition of what ‘Islam’ is and how Malayness can be refashioned towards Islam. By couching these debates and contestations within the context of the Islamic resurgence period and the state’s Islamisation project, I shall highlight the ways in which issues such as Malay rites, rituals and cultural practices, and what constitutes bid’ah (sinful innovations) in Islam are elucidated. The works and sermons of three key Ulama in contemporary Malaysia—Nik Aziz, Mohd Asri, and Harussani Zakaria—shall be treated as case studies. Their attitude towards other key markers of Malayness, such as the Malay Royalty and Malay language, and how they are negotiated in relation to Islam are also examined.     

The Malay Lexicon Project: A database of lexical statistics for 9,592 words

Malay, a language spoken by 250 million people, has a shallow alphabetic orthography, simple syllable structures, and transparent affixation—characteristics that contrast sharply with those of English. In the present article, we first compare the letter—phoneme and letter—syllable ratios for a sample of alphabetic orthographies to highlight the importance of separating language-specific from language-universal reading processes. Then, in order to develop a better understanding of word recognition in orthographies with more consistent mappings to phonology than English, we compiled a database of lexical variables (letter length, syllable length, phoneme length, morpheme length, word frequency, orthographic and phonological neighborhood sizes, and orthographic and phonological Levenshtein distances) for 9,592 Malay words. Separate hierarchical regression analyses for Malay and English revealed how the consistency of orthography—phonology mappings selectively modulates the effects of different lexical variables on lexical decision and speeded pronunciation performance. The database of lexical and behavioral measures for Malay is available at http://brm.psychonomic-journals.org/content/ supplemental.