Dream recall frequency by socioeconomic status of Chinese students

Whereas the effect of sex and age on dream recall have been studied widely, socioeconomic status has rarely been investigated. However, two studies reported that higher socioeconomic status was related to greater frequency of dream recall. In the present sample of 612 Chinese students from three different schools, one elite (high socioeconomic status), one rural (low socioeconomic status) and one intermediate, analysis of variance indicated no significant association between frequency of dream recall and socioeconomic status. Researchers could investigate whether "dream socialization," e.g., encouragement of a child to remember his dreams, depends on socioeconomic background, whether these processes are mediated by culture.     

A Developmental Comparison of Social Class and Verbal Ability Influences on Piagetian Tasks

Summary

The present investigation attempted to evaluate the respective influences of socioeconomic status and verbal ability levels, as determinants of performance on Piagetian concrete operations tasks. A sample of 160 subjects (kindergarten to fourth grade) were matched on socioeconomic status and verbal ability levels. A battery of Piagetian tasks was administered, including a relational terms pretest, provoked and unprovoked numerical correspondence, unidimensional seriation, height and width, multiple seriation, and conservation of surface area. Results of factorial (grade level × sodoeconomic status × verbal ability × sex) analyses of variance indicated (a) an absence of significant socioeconomic status effects for any of the Piagetian tasks, (6) a significant main effect for the verbal ability and age-grade level factors on the majority of tasks excluding unidimensional height seriation, (c) a general absence of sex main effects or higher order interactions. The lack of difference with regard to socioeconomic-status levels indicates that the previous research which revealed notable socioeconomic-status influences may have had socioeconomic status confounded to varying degrees with differences in underlying verbal skills.     

Relation of socioeconomic status to logical and sociomoral judgment of middle-aged men

Empirical links between socioeconomic status and logical and sociomoral judgment were studied. Logical judgment was measured with adaptations of the pendulum and correlations tasks devised by Inhelder and Piaget (1958); sociomoral judgment was scored with the standard Kohlberg interview. Measures of socioeconomic status (SES) were status of family of origin and subject's educational attainment and occupational prestige. In a sample of 83 middle-aged men, the 3 measures of SES accounted for 25% and 12% of the variance in logical and sociomoral judgment, respectively. Adult occupational prestige accounted for 6% of the variance in logical judgment beyond that explained by family status and education, suggesting that adult cognitive functioning may be related to occupational placement, occupational experience, or both.     

Socioeconomic status modifies heritability of IQ in young children

Scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children were analyzed in a sample of 7-year-old twins from the National Collaborative Perinatal Project. A substantial proportion of the twins were raised in families living near or below the poverty level. Biometric analyses were conducted using models allowing for components attributable to the additive effects of genotype, shared environment, and nonshared environment to interact with socioeconomic status (SES) measured as a continuous variable. Results demonstrate that the proportions of IQ variance attributable to genes and environment vary nonlinearly with SES. The models suggest that in impoverished families, 60% of the variance in IQ is accounted for by the shared environment, and the contribution of genes is close to zero; in affluent families, the result is almost exactly the reverse.     

Relationships between vocational development and self-concept in sixth grade students

Super, in his self-concept theory of vocational development, indicates the existence of a strong relationship between vocational development and the development of self-concept in adolescent and adult subjects. This study was designed to test for this relationship in preadolescent subjects. The study investigated the relationships among a measure of career maturity, self-concept, socioeconomic status, race, sex, place of residence, and age. The research sample included 300 randomly selected sixth grade students enrolled in 22 public schools in the state of Georgia during the fall quarter of 1978. Data were obtained by the administration of two instruments, the Career Maturity Inventory-Attitude Scale (CMI-AS) and the Piers-Harris (P-H) Children's Self-Concept Scale. A multiple regression analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Results of this study indicate a positive but low correlation between the total scores on the CMI-AS and the P-H Scale. All six of the self-concept factors on the P-H Scale were found to be significantly correlated to the CMI-AS score. Socioeconomic status was found to be significantly correlated to the CMI-AS score. Although race was not found to be a significant source of variance on the CMI-AS, the interaction of race and socioeconomic status was found to be significant. Sex, place of residence (urban and rural), and age were not found to be significant sources of variance on the CMI-AS.     

Common irrational beliefs associated with the psychophysiological conditions of low back pain,peptic ulcers and migraine headache: A multivariate study

Low back pain, peptic ulcers, migraine headache and a medical control were examined with respect to their irrational beliefs, age, sex and socioeconomic status. Two hundred and sixty-four subjects were diagnosed as having a psychosomatic condition or comprised the medical control group. Subjects were administered the Common Beliefs Survey III, (CBS III) (Bessai, 1977; 1978) and a personal data sheet. The data were analyzed by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with dependent variables consisting of six mean factor scores of the CBS III age and socioeconomic status. The MANOVA found group differences on perfectionism. The psychosomatic groups were next combined and compared to the control by a component analysis of variance (CANOVA). The CANOVA found significance on perfectionism, and self-downing for the psychosomatic groups. Age and sex were analyzed and their results discussed. The results were discussed with respect to the experimental and control groups on the factor scores of the CBS III, age, and socioeconomic status.The study is part of a series of investigations conducted at Riverside Methodist Hospital under Drs. Donald J. Tosi and David R. Rudy. This study is based on a dissertation conducted by Dr. Michael A. Forman under the supervision of Dr. Donald J. Tosi. Reprint requests should be sent to: Dr. Forman     

The role of peers and families in predicting the loneliness level of adolescents

The authors investigated the relative contribution of peer relations, family structure, and demographic variables in predicting loneliness in adolescents. Ninth-grade high school students (N = 756) from 8 different schools representing various socioeconomic status in Ankara, Turkey, completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (D. Russell, L. A. Peplau, & M. L. Ferguson, 1978), the Family Structure Assessing Instrument (A. Gülerce, 1996), and an author-constructed questionnaire involving demographic information and variables on peer relations. Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that all three sets of variables accounted for 41% of the variance in loneliness scores. Additionally, peer relations contributed 34% of the variance, family structure 14%, and demographic variables 3%. Within the limits of the study, peer relations appear to be the best predictors of adolescent loneliness.     

Adolescents' academic expectations and achievement

Previous research has indicated that adolescents' relationships with their mother influence their academic expectations and achievement. Substance use has also been found to have a strong influence on academic expectations and achievement. In the present study, 80 high school seniors from middle to upper socioeconomic status families completed questionnaires on behavioral and psychological aspects of adolescent life. Academic expectations were found to be highly correlated with academic achievement (r = .60). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that relationship with mother, academic achievement, and alcohol use accounted for 56% of the total variance in academic expectations. Stepwise regression on academic achievement revealed that cocaine use, marijuana use, and academic expectations accounted for 48% of the total variance.     

HAPPINESS IS A STOCHASTIC PHENOMENON

Abstract— Happiness, or subjective well-being, was measured on a birth-record-based sample of several thousand middle-aged twins using the Well-Being (WB) scale of the Multidimensional. Personality Questionnaire Neither socioeconomic status, educational attainment, family income, marital status, nor an indicant of religious commitment could account for more than about 3% of the variance in WB From 44% to 52% of the variance in WB, however, is associated with genetic variation. Based on the retell of smaller samples of twins after intervals of 4 5 and 10 years, we estimate that the heritability of the stable component of subjective well-being approaches 80%.     

主观社会经济地位与心理幸福感的关系：创造力的中介和安全感的调节作用

为探讨主观社会经济地位对心理幸福感的影响,以及创造力的中介作用和安全感的调节作用,采用问卷法调查了556名18～60岁城市成年人的主观社会经济地位、安全感、创造力和心理幸福感。结果发现：(1)主观社会经济地位正向预测心理幸福感;(2)性格优势之创造力是主观社会经济地位与心理幸福感的中介变量;(3)安全感调节了中介过程的前半路径。只有当个体的安全感较高时,主观社会经济地位对创造力才存在显著的正向预测作用。结果表明,提升社会经济地位的同时,还需要提升个体的安全感,这样才能更好地促进创造力的发展,并进一步增加个体的心理幸福感。     

Suicide and the Generation Gap*

ABSTRACT: To explore psychological parameters of suicide as perceived by young adults, the middle-aged, and old people, an area sample of 317 Detroit subjects, whose ages placed them in one of these three generations, was administered a questionnaire concerning their beliefs about the generations and suicide and their self-reported relationship to suicide. A 3-way fixed-effects analysis of variance (generation × sex × socioeconomic status) indicated that all generations believed that the old (a) have the greatest desire to die, (b) know the least about suicide, (c) make the fewest attempts, (d) are the least frequently successful, and (e) are the least socially condemned for committing suicide. Self-appraisals indicated that (a) lower socioeconomic status is associated with a greater “death wish,” (b) young adults and males claim a greater knowledge about suicide, and (c) the generations do not differ in desire to die, considerations of suicide, and suicide attempts.     

Socioeconomic status,perceived parental control,and authoritarianism: Development of authoritarianism in Iranian society

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status, parental control, and authoritarianism in Iran. A sample of 460 students was surveyed from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in Iran. Results demonstrated that subjective socioeconomic status, parental control, and parents' education have significant influence on authoritarianism. Further analysis showed that parental control partially mediates parents' education association with authoritarianism with a relatively high effect size. These findings highlight the importance of parental control and socioeconomic status in the development of authoritarianism in Iran. Furthermore, the higher authoritarianism of low socioeconomic status is mostly due to lower education levels rather than the income of the family. The findings were discussed with regards to literature as well as the socio‐cultural sphere of Iran.     

Predicting Acculturation Using Career,Family, and Demographic Variables in a Sample of Mexican American Students

The authors examined the relationship of a set of career variables, family cohesion, and demographic variables with the acculturation level of a sample of 176 Mexican American community college students. Multiple regression analyses using a blocked entry method revealed that only the demographic variables related significantly to acculturation. Based upon the zero order correlations, socioeconomic status would appear to account for most of the variance shared by acculturation and a linear combination of the demographic variables.     

Men's and Women's Reactions to Hypothetical Sexual Advances: The Role of Initiator Socioeconomic Status and Level of Coercion

Research on sexual coercion has revealed a beauty bias in that participants judge coercive sexual advances committed by attractive individuals as more acceptable than coercive advances committed by unattractive individuals. In this study, we examined the extent to which there exists a similar socioeconomic status bias in people's perceptions. Participants (N = 160) read 1 of 8 vignettes that depicted sexual advances and responded to several questions about the acceptability of the initiator's behavior. The coerciveness of the advance was manipulated by varying whether the touch occurred in a gentle manner with no threat or in a forceful manner with a threat of harm. Male participants always received a vignette that portrayed a woman initiating a sexual advance, and female participants always received a vignette that portrayed a man initiating a sexual advance. Socioeconomic status of the initiator was manipulated by what type of clothing he/she wore (shabby or expensive) and the car he/she drove (old or new). Results indicated that a gentle touch was more acceptable than a forceful touch, and men found sexual advances more acceptable than did women. Participants rated sexual advances by wealthy individuals as more acceptable than sexual advances by poor individuals. However, the greater acceptability of advances by wealthy individuals appeared to hold up only in the case of a gentle touch. In addition, men appeared to be more prone to the socioeconomic status bias than were women. Methodological limitations and future directions are discussed.     

Changes in Income Predict Change in Social Trust: A Longitudinal Analysis

Social trust is a psychological variable important to politics, the community, and health. Theorists have predicted that socioeconomic status determines social trust, but also that social trust determines socioeconomic status. The current study tested the viability of both causal directions using longitudinal data from representative samples of the United States and the United Kingdom. Results demonstrated that a model where increases in socioeconomic status (measured by income) predict increases in social trust is more viable than a model where increases in social trust predict increases in socioeconomic status.     

Socioeconomic variation in attitudes to eating and weight in female adolescents.

This study was stimulated by J. Sobal and A. J. Stunkard's (1989) theory that differences in deliberate weight control could underlie the socioeconomic gradient in adult weight. Female adolescents (N=1,248) completed measures of socioeconomic status, social norms for weight, weight ideals, attitudes to weight, and weight control behaviors. Higher socioeconomic status adolescents had greater awareness of the social ideals of slimness and had more family and friends who were trying to lose weight. They also defined a lower body mass index as "fat" and were more likely to have used healthy weight control methods. The results support the idea that socioeconomic differences in weight-related attitudes and behaviors may mediate the development of a gradient in weight.     

Community identity as a mediator of the relationship between socioeconomic status and altruistic behaviour in Chinese residents

Socioeconomic status is related to altruistic behaviour, but the link between them remains controversial. The present study explored the link between socioeconomic status and altruistic behaviour, as well as the psychological mechanism between them. We recruited 1,052 residents from 34 provinces in China to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status and altruistic behaviour and the mediating mechanism. Results showed that objective socioeconomic status was positively related to altruistic behaviour. Subjective socioeconomic status was positively associated with community identity and altruistic behaviour. Community identity mediated the relationship between subjective socioeconomic status and altruistic behaviour. The findings suggest that enhancing individuals' community identity or subjective status perception can effectively increase their altruistic behaviour.     

Sample Size Requirements for the Capron and Duyme Balanced Fostering Study of IQ

A simplified method is used to estimate the appropriate sample sizes needed to detect main effects and an interaction effect in analysis of variance, using the IQ data from the Capron and Duyme (1991) adoption study as an example. To achieve power of 80% to reject an hypothesis of no interaction when there is in reality a modest interaction requires about 215 children in each of four groups in a 2 × 2 design, whereas only 9 to 10 children per group are needed to detect main effects. Only a transnational collaborative study could hope to find this many children in the condition where a child from high socioeconomic status background is adopted into a low status family.     

Distinctive national patterns of career motivation(123)

The possible existence and stability of different national patterns of career-values in eight countries was tested by administering an Occupational Values Inventory to 6,400 urban children in seven of the countries in 1965, and to a sample of 3,600 in 1969. The samples were stratified by age (10 and 14), sex and socioeconomic status (upper-middle and upper-lower). A four-way analysis of variance revealed distinctive national profiles which were stable across the two samples except for some changes in three countries. Each country's value profile is briefly described and possible relations to different national patterns of economic growth are discussed.     

Occupational attainment as a function of abilities and interests: a longitudinal analysis using project TALENT data

Ability, interest, gender, and family socioeconomic status of 13,248 tenth-grade participants in Project TALENT were studied as they relate to occupational attainment by using discriminant analysis. Individuals were classified into 12 broad categories reported 11 years after graduation. Accuracy analyses indicated correct classifications significantly above chance for all except the Technical and Sales categories. Within-category classification percentages were higher for all groups except Construction. Five canonical discriminant functions that jointly accounted for 96.8% of the between-groups variance were interpreted. The first 2 accounted for 81.9% of the variance. Function 1 was a general ability function; Function 2 differentiated the categories on the basis of mathematics ability and gender. Functions 3 through 5 accounted for 14.9% of the between-groups variance. Some implications of these findings are discussed.