Perceptual consequences of an illness-concern induction and its relation to hypochondriacal tendencies.

This article examines the perceptual consequences of activating illness concern as a function of hypochondriacal tendencies. In 2 independent samples, hypochondriacal tendencies were associated with slower reaction times on a modified emotional Stroop task when the stimulus words were illness related, but only when illness concern was activated. Moreover, these findings emerged when hypochondriacal tendencies were defined as a sensitivity to bodily sensations. When defined as illness preoccupation and fear, hypochondriacal tendencies were associated with a generalized pattern of perseveration to all stimuli when health concern was activated. Finally, the results persisted even after statistically controlling for state anxiety. Findings are discussed within the context of an activation hypothesis and highlight the importance of the operational definition and assessment of hypochondriacal tendencies when examining perceptual biases.     

The relation of self-esteem variability to emotion variability, mood, personality traits, and depressive tendencies

The relation of self-esteem variability to personality, mood, and behavior was investigated. Self-esteem variability was measured by calculating the standard deviation of self-ratings made during a week of experience-sampling. Participants high in self-esteem variability were self-conscious, socially anxious, and avoidant of social contexts. Self-esteem variability was partially independent of the conceptually similar trait of affect-intensity. The contributions of the study to work on self-esteem stability are discussed.     

Epileptic tendencies in relation to behavioral responses to a novel environment in the Mongolian gerbil

The severity of epileptic-like seizures in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), placed in an open field, is directly related to their ambulatory activity on subsequent trials. An inverse relationship, however, occurs between seizure severity and oriented, bipedal rearing behavior on subsequent trials. Principal components and multiple linear regression analyses support the hypothesis that ambulation and rearing have different underlying neuronal mechanisms. If these two activities are considered as measures of arousal and attention, respectively, then epileptic-like seizures may be caused by hyperactivity of mechanisms which induce arousal.     

The relation between ethnic group attachment and prosocial tendencies: The mediating role of cultural values

Studies suggest that Mexican–American youths who feel attached to their ethnic group engage in more prosocial behaviors. However, the psychological mechanisms that account for this association are not clear. Drawing on social identity and self‐categorization theories, we examined whether the association between ethnic group attachment and tendencies to engage in six distinct types of prosocial behaviors was mediated by familism and Mainstream American values among Mexican American youths. Ethnic group attachment, familism, Mainstream American values, and prosocial tendencies were assessed among 207 Mexican–American early adolescents using an interview format. Latent variable path models showed that ethnic group attachment was associated with greater tendencies to engage in compliant, emotional, dire, and anonymous helping, and that each of these associations was at least partially mediated by greater familism values. Mainstream American values were related to greater tendencies to engage in public prosocial behavior and less altruistic behavior, but did not mediate the associations between ethnic group attachment and prosocial tendencies. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are addressed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Envy mediates the relation between low academic self-esteem and hostile tendencies

In previous research, there has been little discussion about mediators or moderators that affect the negative relation between self-esteem and hostile tendencies. In the current article, we propose a model in which envy mediates that relation in the academic context. Across three studies, with correlational (N₁ = 303), experimental (N₂ = 76), and round-robin designs (N₃ = 330), results revealed that academic self-esteem indirectly influenced hostile tendencies through envy. In Studies 2 and 3, the indirect effect was moderated by the performance context. Results suggest that individuals with low academic self-esteem may exhibit hostile tendencies because of feelings of envy, especially in highly competitive contexts. Findings are discussed with respect to theoretical implications for research on personality and interpersonal perceptions.     

Desirable and undesirable masculine and feminine traits in relation to students' dieting tendencies and body image dissatisfaction

Previous research showing greater femininity among overweight persons used measures of masculinity and femininity which have been criticized for conceptual and psychometric reasons. The present study used the Spence-Helmreich measures to examine the interrelationships among socially desirable and socially undesirable instrumental (masculine) and expressive (feminine) traits, body weight, and other attributes of cognitive concern about dieting and weight-related appearance. While body weight was unrelated to these measures of psychological masculinity and femininity, sex differences were found in the relationship of masculinity and femininity to dieting tendencies. dissatisfaction with physical appearance, and achievement motivation in these samples of college undergraduates.     

The transference neurosis in Freud's writings

This paper reviews the evolution of the concept of transference neurosis in Freud's writings. It suggests that the language in which the concept of the transference neurosis is originally expressed by Freud includes an idea of the analyst as aggressively pursuing the analytic cure by waging a solitary battle against the patient's disease. With the representation of the death drive and the larger role accorded to sadism as its external manifestation in Freud's revised drive theory of 1920, the patient becomes the ally; resistance, in the sense of the conservative forces, not disease, in the sense of libidinal conflict, becomes the enemy. It is thus difficult to speak of a transference neurosis in the circumscribed way Freud originally meant it, and he ceased to use the term after 1926 rather than redefine it to fit his broader perspective. In this broader perspective, relative resolution of conflict replaced radical liberation of the patient from disease. That Freud did not redefine the term does not imply that he discarded it, or that we necessarily should. This paper suggests that Freud implied a functional distinction between transference as transforming agent and transference neurosis as result of that transformation. That distinction defines psychoanalytic cure in terms of the understanding of a symbolic transformation which is, through the transference neurosis, reexperienced as part of the psychoanalytic process.