Instrumental-reasoned and symbolic-affective motives for using a motor car

This study was aimed at clarifying the relative importance of symbolic-affective as opposed to instrumental-reasoned motives for car use. We examined which motivational dimensions are underlying the (un)attractiveness of car use, in order to distinguish a limited set of main motive categories. Three methods were developed, which differed in the extent to which the purpose of the task was apparent. The tasks were: (1) a similarity sorting of car-use episodes, (2) a Q-sorting following attractiveness of car-use episodes, and (3) a semantic-differential method for evaluating (un)attractive aspects of car use. The symbolic-affective motives for car use were better expressed when the aim of the research task was not too apparent. If the aim of the task was evident, respondents tended to evaluate car use in terms of instrumental-reasoned motives. Overall, the results indicate that both instrumental-reasoned and symbolic-affective functions of the motor car are significant dimensions underlying the attractiveness of car use.     

A new typology of modern atheisms: pilgrim atheism versus tourist atheism

This paper distinguishes between two types of modern atheisms: pilgrim atheism versus tourist atheism. Pilgrim atheism is based on and firmly supports the religion/science dichotomy. New Atheism is today’s well-known representative of pilgrim atheism which is characterised by its hostility to all religions. However, their very atheistic conception of the human being as a cognitively privileged animal depends on a theological conception of humanity, i.e. the human being is a God-like creature who can attain God’s objective knowledge. The second part of the paper is dedicated to exploring an emerging modern atheistic discourse: tourist atheism, emblematised by figures such as Alain de Botton. The fundamental argument of that part is that tourist atheists approach religion as a cultural heritage which still contains some benefits for non-believers. Thus, their strategy of approaching religions is not absolute rejection but engaging with them as repositories of useful sentiments, rituals, insights and ideas. Thus, tourist atheists do not hold the religion versus modernity dichotomy. The paper argues that tourist atheism, which has greater concerns for human subjectivity and internal pleasure of humans, is also an extension of another theological conception of humans as created in the image of God: humans who reproduce God’s autonomy and singularity.     

Psychological consequences of motor vehicle accidents: A systematic review

People involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are at increased risk for psychological problems. Although the existing literature states that MVAs cause substantial negative mental health effects, summarizing and comparing these effects to understand their consequences could be more explored. This systematic literature review provides an overview of the literature surrounding the psychological consequences of MVAs to summarize and quantify their effects on mental health. The studies published in an English-language journal in the last 20 years (2001–2021) that present psychological consequences of MVAs were included. Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were used for the literature search. The systematic literature search found 23 eligible studies. After identifying all relevant studies on the topic, we synthesized the applied psychological assessment methods and the psychological consequences of MVAs. Current gaps in the reviewed papers and what future research are needed are also discussed. Results indicated that negative psychological consequences following an MVA are substantial, with all studies pointing to negative consequences in at least one psychopathology. Trauma-related MVA injuries are associated with elevated psychological distress, and MVA-related psychological consequences could have long-term effects if left untreated.     

A controlled evaluation of cognitive behavioural therapy for posttraumatic stress in motor vehicle accident survivors

Seventy-eight motor vehicle accident survivors with chronic (greater than 6 months) PTSD, or severe sub-syndromal PTSD, completed a randomized controlled comparison of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), supportive psychotherapy (SUPPORT), or a Wait List control condition with two detailed assessments. Scores on the CAPS showed significantly greater improvement for those in CBT in comparison to the Wait List and to the SUPPORT conditions. The SUPPORT condition in turn was superior (p=0.012) to the Wait List. Categorical diagnostic data showed the same results. An analysis of CAPS scores including drop-outs (n=98) also showed CBT to be superior to Wait List and to SUPPORT with a trend for SUPPORT to be superior to Wait List. The CBT condition led to significantly greater reductions in co-morbid major depression and GAD than the other two conditions. Results held up well at a 3-month follow-up on the two active treatment conditions.     

The use of product owner manuals: A comparison of older versus younger consumers

The present study addresses a relatively unexplored area by examining older consumers' interface with product owner manuals. Specifically, compared to younger consumers, seniors evidenced significantly greater usage of manuals and readership of specific sections. Overall, regression analyses utilizing context, product characteristic, product familiarity, general perceptions of manuals and demographic variables as predictors of manual use found prior knowledge and the perception that manuals are helpful to be among the most significant variables explaining readership. In general, these same variables reflect the extent of overlap between factors explaining manual usage for both older and younger consumers. Relevant literature from related domains provides the context for a discussion of findings and areas for future research.The authors wish to thank Dr. Dixie Mills for her input in the early stages of this research.     

A typology of dispersal prisoners

Despite the importance of maximum security dispersal prisons in England, and the plethora of studies on adult male prisoners, there is no published research on the dispersal prison population. The current study reports the results of a cluster analysis of demographic and criminological data on a large sample of this population. These results present a taxonomy of six subgroups of offenders. The taxonomy is essentially heuristic and requires replication and cross-validation. However, it presents a useful model to both describe the dispersal prison population and, importantly, to consider the question of optimal management strategies for the identified subgroups.     

A self-report typology of behavioral adjustment for young children

A large, national U.S. sample of children rated their own behavior and emotions using the Self-Report of Personality-Child version (SRP-C) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 1992). Cluster analysis was used to group 4,981 self-reports (SRP-C) of children between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Theoretical and empirical considerations were used to identify a 10-cluster solution. Internal validation procedures revealed that the 10-cluster solution was well replicated by independently classifying 2 large subsamples of participants. External validation evidence revealed that only 2 of the 10 clusters could be differentiated by parent and teacher ratings of behavior problems. Peer ratings of social status and behavior, however, proved far better than adult ratings at differentiating the clusters. These findings suggest that the realm of intraindividual adjustment is not well understood by parents and teachers of these same children.     

Motivation and cognitive structures of store versus manufacturer brand consumers

The present paper offers empirical evidence about the impact of the type and characteristics of the brand category (i.e. perceived purchasing risk and involvement) as drivers of store brand choice. The means‐end chains analysis methodology was applied on a sociodemographically homogeneous consumer sample, assigned through a 2 × 2 in‐between subjects design into four subgroups of regular (orange juice or toothpaste) store or manufacturer brand buyers, respectively. The introduction of a store brand fueled motivations and cognitive structures that were predominantly shaped by the specific brand type and its expected perceived benefits (i.e. good quality/price ratios); on the contrary, manufacturer brands allowed room for typical, category‐related motives and cognitive hierarchies to dominate. Moreover, in the case of store brand buyers across categories (orange juice versus toothpaste), different perceived risk and consumer involvement had a clear impact on the structure of overall cognitive map and on the sophistication of its most dominant cognitive area. In situations of high perceived risk and involvement, the cognitive structures of store brand buyers tend to resemble that of manufacturer brand buyers. Results add to the ongoing stream of research on store brand buyer behaviour by offering proof of the impact of consumer perceived risk and category involvement on the choice between manufacturer and store brands. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Social versus physiological motives in the drug careers of methadone clinic clients

Most studies examining bystanders' reactions to a violent attack have used an experimental or hypothetical situation involving a single victim. This study compares the intention to intervene on behalf of three hypothetical victims: a woman, a child, and a dog. Using a sample of over 700 college students, we found that there was not a significant difference in intention to intervene by type of victim. However, there was a significant interaction between the sex of the bystander and the type of victim, such that women are most likely to intervene on behalf of children, while men are most likely to intervene to aid a woman. We found that people who perceived themselves to be stronger, more aggressive, and more sympathetic than others are most likely to intend to intervene.     

Correlates of motives for suicide

Analysis of a large sample of suicide notes from 262 suicides in Australia showed separated/divorced suicides and suicides who abused alcohol were more likely to give love/romance as a precipitant for suicide while those who used gas (natural or car exhaust) were more likely to give depression and guilt as a motive.     

A typology of mid-life career changers

This study examines the motivations for and the outcomes of mid-life career change among a sample of 73 men who had left professional and managerial careers between the ages of 34 and 54. Measures of personal desire for change and external pressure to leave were dichotomized to produce a typology of career changers: Drift-outs, Opt-outs, Force-outs, and Bow-outs. The four types of changers were found to differ on a number of variables, including: amount of education completed, additional schooling undertaken to change careers, time taken to make the change, radicalness of change, and the importance of personal values in deciding to leave their former careers. Overall, respondents were found to be highly satisfied with their career redirection.     

A developmental typology of adolescent personality

The purpose of the current study is to examine whether Block's personality types (i.e. Resilients, Undercontrollers and Overcontrollers) are replicable as developmental trajectories. We applied a Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) framework to five‐ annual‐wave data on a sample of early to middle adolescents (n = 923). Our results showed that Block's Resilients, Undercontrollers and Overcontrollers are indeed replicable as developmental trajectories across adolescence. These developmental types were related to problem behaviour in a similar way as types found in studies using cross‐sectional data. As such, Resilients reflected low levels of problem behaviour, Undercontrollers had high levels of delinquency and Overcontrollers had high levels of depression. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fitness correlates of obligatory versus health motives for exercise: An examination of men in the military

Objectives

To examine quantity of exercise and motives for exercise as predictors of men in the military’s health and fitness level.

Design

Participants completed a survey to address research questions of interest.

Methods

One-hundred and fourteen men who were active duty Air Force members, with a mean age of 31.43 years (SD = 7.43) and an average military time in service of 10.66 years (SD = 7.75), completed a modified version of the Reasons for Exercise Inventory, a survey assessing their quantity of exercise, and reported their most recent score on their Air Force Fitness Test.

Results

Correlational analyses indicated a relation between quantity of exercise and men’s score on the Air Force Fitness Test and a relation between intrinsic motives for exercise and quantity of exercise. Intrinsic motivation was found to moderate the relation between quantity of exercise and men’s health and fitness score.

Conclusions

Men in the military who exercise because of their military obligation are less likely to score high on the Air Force Fitness Test than are men who are motivated to exercise for health benefits.     

Written exposure as an intervention for PTSD: A randomized clinical trial with motor vehicle accident survivors

The present study examined the efficacy of a brief, written exposure therapy (WET) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants were 46 adults with a current primary diagnosis of motor vehicle accident-related PTSD. Participants were randomly assigned to either WET or a waitlist (WL) condition. Independent assessments took place at baseline and 6-, 18-, and 30-weeks post baseline (WL condition not assessed at 30 weeks). Participants assigned to WET showed significant reductions in PTSD symptom severity at 6- and 18-week post-baseline, relative to WL participants, with large between-group effect sizes. In addition, significantly fewer WET participants met diagnostic criteria for PTSD at both the 6- and 18-week post-baseline assessments, relative to WL participants. Treatment gains were maintained for the WET participants at the 30-week post baseline assessment. Notably, only 9% of participants dropped out of WET and the WET participants reported a high degree of satisfaction with the treatment. These findings suggest that a brief, written exposure treatment may efficaciously treat PTSD. Future research should examine whether WET is efficacious with other PTSD samples, as well as compare the efficacy of WET with that of evidence-based treatments for PTSD.     

A typology of family social environments.

A sample of 100 families measured on ten dimensions of their social environments was subjected to cluster analysis to develop an empirically based taxonomy of families. Six distinctive clusters of families were indentified: Expression-Oriented, Structure-Oriented, Independence-Oriented, Achievement-Oriented, Moral/Religious-Oriented and Conflict-Oriented. The clusters showed systematic differences in background characteristics such as size, ethnic minority composition, drinking patterns, and family disturbance and incongruence. Some evidence that certain clusters of families are composed of different sub-clusters was presented. An empirically derived taxonomy of the social environments of families may help to understand how different family environments are linked to different family outcomes.     

Characteristics of unsafe events involving a motor vehicle for group riders in Western Australia: A naturalistic study

Little is known about the safety issues affecting non-professional group riders. This study aimed to identify the most common unsafe events involving a motor vehicle that occurred while group riding, describe their characteristics and suggest potential preventative measures. A naturalistic study collected video footage from cameras attached to the bicycles of group riders who rode on-road for training, fitness or recreation in Perth, Western Australia. Fifty-two riders from 40 different riding groups, recorded footage of 126 group riding trips, resulting in 135 h of video. A total of 108 unsafe events (‘near-crashes/ crash relevant events’ and ‘close passing only events’) involving the group riders and a motor vehicle were observed. The most common type of unsafe event involved a motor vehicle attempting to pass/ overtake the group (65.7%). For 39.4% of the passing events, the presence of road infrastructure ahead (e.g. roundabout, traffic island) prevented safe passing and led to an unsafe event. Motorists were at fault for 83.3% of all unsafe events and reckless behaviour by the motorist was observed for 13.3% of these at-fault events. Aggressive communication on the part of the motorist or rider/s was observed for 15% of all unsafe events. This study highlighted that motorists were at fault for the majority of unsafe events involving group riders but only a small proportion involved reckless behaviour. Further research should examine the effectiveness of motorist education as well as infrastructure modifications on popular group riding routes, for reducing unsafe events involving group riders.     

A data-based typology of depressed adolescents.

To develop a data-based classification of depressive adolescents, a face valid depression scale for adolescents was applied to MMPI protocols of 212 adolescent psychiatric patients of ages 12 to 18, to identify a depressive subsample which turned out to have 36 females and 10 males. Complete linkage cluster analysis was applied to this subsample and three hierachically organized depressive groups were obtained: "Restless" and "Socially Frustrated", which joined into a higher order group, and "Endogenous". Discriminant function analysis was applied for differentiating and cross-validating the obtained groups.