Differential Risk Perceptions for Unintended Pregnancy,STDs, and HIV/AIDS Among Urban Adolescents: Some Preliminary Findings

Two pilot studies tested the hypothesis that adolescents perceive differential risks for unintended pregnancy (UP), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The 1st study used a college sample consisting of 14 adolescents (21 years or younger) and 64 adults (over 21) who rated the likelihood that they and others would experience 15 health problems. The 2nd study used a community sample of 48 adolescents between 16 and 21 years of age who rated 11 health problems in a similar manner. Optimistic bias and uniqueness of risk in adolescents' perceived susceptibility to adverse sexual outcomes were examined. Optimistic bias is the difference between ratings of risk to self and risk to others, reflecting lower risk to self. Uniqueness of risk is the difference between ratings of risk and a baseline risk estimate (i.e., the mean rating for all non-sex-related health problems). Consistent with the hypothesis, adolescents perceived differential risks for UP, STDs, and HIV/AIDS. Implications for adolescent prevention programs are discussed.     

Living With HIV/AIDS: A Psychosocial Perspective on Coping With Prejudice and Discrimination1

We examined 2 strategies used by people with HIV (N = 68) to cope with the effects of prejudice and discrimination: hiding of stigma and in‐group identification. In support of the first proposed path, we found that group‐based discrimination enhanced hiding of stigma. This reduces the perception of personal discrimination; and this, in turn, is positively related to well‐being. We also found evidence for a second, more collective path by which those who are HIV‐positive protect their well‐being. Perceived group‐based discrimination was positively associated with in‐group identification, which, in turn, was positively related to collective action intentions and well‐being. The discussion focuses on how well‐being can be protected through both individual‐ and group‐level processes.     

Day Persons,Night Persons,and Time of Birth: Preliminary Findings

Abstract

The authors conducted 2 surveys to determine the relationship between time of birth and being a day person or a night person. Day persons are most alert during daylight hours; night persons are most alert during hours of darkness. In Survey 1, the authors asked U.S. high school students to complete the Alertness Questionnaire (B. Wallace, 1993) and to respond to other items related to daytime or nighttime activity. In Survey 2, the authors administered the same items to a U.S. college population. In both surveys, time of birth was significantly related to being a day person or a night person. The results suggest that a critical period for setting the biological clock for alertness may be the moment of birth.     

Aging and Remote Memory Declines: Preliminary Findings

Relatively little research has examined the effect of aging upon remote memory, especially among individuals who have entered their 10th decade of life. The present study examined whether remote memory deteriorates in a group of 132 neurologically normal men and women ranging in age from 50 to 97. Remote memory was measured with a modification of the Presidents Test. The data revealed that higher levels of education corresponded with better remote memory. Additionally, age-related differences in memory occurred only in men, with those aged 90 years and older showing significantly worse remote memory than other age groups. Potential explanations and implications of these data are delineated.     

The Ethnic Mentor Undergraduate Program: A Brief Description and Preliminary Findings

The Ethnic Mentor Undergraduate (EMU) Program targets students from traditionally underrepresented ethnic backgrounds and aims at fostering skills and attitudes necessary to persist to graduation. Findings indicate that EMU protégés perform better than the university-wide average and that drop-out rates are reduced. Implications for mentoring programs are discussed.     

AIDS on Campus: A Preliminary Study of College Students' Knowledge and Behaviors

This preliminary study examined the possible relationship between knowledge about AIDS, subjective perception of the risk of contracting AIDS, and sexual behavior in a sample of undergraduate college students (N = 459). The majority of the students indicated that AIDS was not an issue of personal concern. Students were generally informed about AIDS, although one-third of the students were unclear about the transmission of the disease through casual contact. Data analysis indicated that no relationship existed between accurate knowledge about AIDS and sexual behavior. The relationship between self-assessment of personal risk for AIDS and reduced sexual contacts was found to be significant at the .01 level. Recommendations are made regarding AIDS educational and counseling approaches among college students. Please note that the term AIDS is used to represent the presence of HIV antibodies, AIDS-related complex (ARC), and diagnosed AIDS.     

Progress with Science and Religion Issues: Critical Questions and Suggestions

Progress with the marriage of science and religion is slowed by “sterile” controversies. Ways toward overcoming them are suggested here. These concern the metaphysical foundations of science and religion (science and spirituality, science and theology) with a specific emphasis on epistemology, ontology, anthropology, aims, methodological procedures, limitations of binary logic, and the use of other types of logic (in particular relational and contextual reasoning). Dialogues between science and religion can have positive practical societal relevance, and therefore need to progress faster. An enlargement of humanity's mental horizons and development—especially of epistemic cognition—seems to be called for in order to secure the future of a global intellectual culture. Suggestions for achieving this are included.     

艾滋病恐惧症的研究初探

“艾滋病恐惧症”是一种混合性神经症,核心症状可表现为焦虑、疑病、恐惧、强迫、抑郁症状中的一种或几种的组合,可伴有与艾滋病的临床症状相似的躯体症状,患者感到痛苦,反复求医。该文综合了国外文献和部分案例,对“艾滋病恐惧症”的定义、临床症状、心理病理机制、诊断与治疗等进行了初步的总结与探讨。     

Researching Faith Maturity Questions on the Methods and Findings of Valuegenesis

The issue of Catholic elementary-school survival is complex. This study found in general that astute management is more important than overall wealth. Major contributors to survival include integrated church/school financial planning; a combination of a certain level of church support for the school and efficient school management; and clarity about the role of the school in the Church's evangelical mission. The most vulnerable moments for the Catholic elementary schools, presuming otherwise strong management, are during times of sweeping neighborhood change. This study produced some financial ratios that may be helpful in strenghtening Catholic elementary schools.     

Low-End Specificity of Four Depression Measures: Findings and Suggestions for the Research Use of Depression Tests

Past research has found that very low scorers on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) tend to respond in a fake-good manner on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) validity scales. This finding was interpreted as evidence of poor low-end specificity. This study replicated and extended this work by evaluating the low-end specificity of four popular depression measures. The evidence of problems with low-end specificity was strong for the BDI and marginal for the Profile of Mood States depression subscale. Interestingly, MMPI scores in the normal range were associated with fake-good responding, whereas very low and high scores were not. There was no evidence of an association between fake-good responding and scores on Exner's Depression Index for the Rorschach. Implications of these findings and guidelines for dealing with problems with low-end specificity in research are discussed.     

SNARC效应: 现状、理论与建议

SNARC效应是当对数字进行奇偶判断时,即使数的奇偶性与数的大小无关,但右手（左手）对相对大（小）的数的反应快。首先介绍SNARC效应的起源和理论解释,然后总结SNARC效应的特性,论述SNARC效应和Simon效应以及MARC 效应的关系,并对SNARC效应的脑机制进行了概述,最后提出3个有待深入研究的问题：（1）SNARC效应的加工处理机制;（2）SANRC效应的理论探索;（3）SNARC效应的本质。     

Roles and Women's Well-Being: Some Preliminary Findings from Malaysia

This study examines the relationship betweenroles (work and family) and well-being (happiness andsymptoms of distress) in a sample of employed Malaysianwomen, made up of both Malays (N = 288) and Chinese (N = 92). The two groups were similar in termsof their socioeconomic status, as measured by education,occupation, and family income. Both quantitative andqualitative analyses were used. Results of the quantitative analysis showed that aftercontrolling for the demographic variables of age, race,and occupational group as well as the personalityvariable of negative affectivity, job autonomy predicted both measures of well-being. Happiness was alsopredicted by spouse support. The qualitative resultsprovided another aspect into women's perceptions oftheir roles. The women's replies to questions on their preference for employment, theirhusbands' preference for them to work, their reasons forworking, the importance of work and family, child care,and their overall reports of work and family richly complemented the findings of the regressionanalysis. These findings are discussed with respect tothe general literature on women's roles and well-beingas well as within the context of the Malaysiansociety.     

Flow Experiences Across Adulthood: Preliminary Findings on the Continuity Hypothesis

Flow experience is a psychological state characterized by simultaneous absorption, concentration, and enjoyment. Examining the change and continuity of the flow experience––an optimal state that contributes to well-being––is critical to the understanding of the lifelong trajectory of human flourishing. Nevertheless, to date there has been no systematic investigation of the relationship between age and flow experiences across adulthood. Developmental models of flow experiences suggest the continuity hypothesis that people are motivated to sustain a high level of flow experiences as long as conditions permit. We conducted two studies to investigate flow experiences among adults of different ages. Study 1 (N?=?1,162; age range 30–80) used longitudinal data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project, investigating the changes in flow experiences at work over a 10-year span. Study 2 (N?=?393; age range 20–82) was an online survey that examined age-related differences in flow experiences. Both studies revealed minimal relationships between age and flow experiences. Post-hoc analyses revealed no significant moderating effect of common demographics including gender, race, and education on the age–flow relationship. Taken together, these studies elucidate the “flow profile” in adulthood that is consistent with the continuity hypothesis. We discuss relations of the findings to the literature on flow experiences and well-being.

     

A Measure of Adolescent Potential for Suicide (MAPS): Development and Preliminary Findings

This paper describes an instrument designed to assess the suicide potential of youth 14–18 years of age who are at risk for suicidal behaviors. A comprehensive measurement theory provides the basis for three central constructs in the Measure of Adolescent Potential for Suicide (MAPS): direct suicide risk factors, related risk factors, and protective factors. The MAPS entails an introductory questionnaire followed by a computer-assisted, structured interview. Two samples were used to examine psychometric properties of the MAPS (n = 43; n = 123). Results revealed generally strong validity (content, criterion, construct) and reliability (internal consistency) for the MAPS. Further verification studies with large and diverse samples are warranted.