Perceptions of a University Environment by Social-Political Action Leaders

Leaders of campus social-political action groups were compared with the leaders of four other categories of student leaders on the basis of perceptions of the prevailing campus environmental press as measured by the College and University Environment Scales. Significant differences among the five categories of group leaders were observed on four scales of the inventory. Three of the scales, Community, Awareness, and Scholarship, appeared to differentiate social-political activists from leaders of other types of campus groups. Significant differences between liberal and conservative leaders of social-political action groups were also observed on three scales of the CUES and between male and female leaders across all group categories on four scales.     

An Experimental Study of Faculty Advising

This study examined the effect on a group of college freshmen of releasing faculty members from part of their teaching assignment to devote more time to academic advising. 60 men and 60 women were randomly selected from the Macalester College freshman class and were randomly assigned to 6 faculty members, each of whom was released from 1 of the 3 courses he would ordinarily have taught. The remaining 400 freshmen, whose faculty advisers had a full teaching load, were the control group. Data indicated that the students in the experimental group were more likely to discuss course planning, career planning, and study problems with their advisers. There was a slightly higher retention rate among women in the experimental group, and there were significant differences on two scales of the College and University Environment Scales between experimental and control group women. No differences were found between the 2 groups in grade-point average.     

Use of the MMPI-2 in American Indians: I. Comparability of the MMPI-2 between two tribes and with the MMPI-2 normative group

The comparability of the MMPI-2 in American Indians with the MMPI-2 normative group was investigated in a sample of 535 Southwestern and 297 Plains American Indian tribal members with contrasting sociocultural and historical origins. Both American Indian tribal groups had clinically significant higher T scores (> 5 T points) on 5 validity and clinical scales, 6 content scales, and 2 supplementary scales than did the MMPI-2 normative group. There were no significant differences between the 2 tribal groups on any of the MMPI-2 clinical, content, or supplementary scales. Matching members of both tribes with persons in the MMPI-2 normative group on the basis of age, gender, and education reduced the magnitude of the differences between the 2 groups on all of these scales, although the differences in T scores still exceeded 5 T points. It appears likely that the MMPI-2 differences of these 2 American Indian groups from the normative group may reflect their adverse historical, social, and economic conditions.     

Bootstrapping microcomputers at Drexel University: The role of a faculty newsletter

Drexel University requires entering freshmen to have access to a personal microcomputer. Part of the faculty development effort was a faculty newsletter,boot. The newsletter published information about microcomputers and their applications and about microcomputer-related events on campus. Unlike newsletters produced by academic computing centers,boot was edited by faculty, most of its pieces were written by faculty, and it was addressed to all members of the university community, not just that subgroup with a prior interest in, or prior record of, computer use. This article describes the publication and presents data indicating that the faculty found it to be clearly worthwhile.     

Released Time for Faculty Advising: The Impact upon Freshmen

During the academic years 1964-65 and 1965-66, six Macalester College faculty members were given released time to devote to academic advising. One hundred-twenty “experimental group” freshmen were randomly selected from the classes entering Macalester in the fall of 1964 and 1965 and were assigned (10 men and 10 women) to each adviser. The remaining freshmen in each class comprised the “control group” and were assigned to advisers with full teaching loads. Data collected in the spring of 1966 indicated that the students in the experimental group were more satisfied with their faculty advisers, but there were no significant differences between the two groups on: (a) rate of retention; (b) grade point average; (c) level of aspiration; (d) satisfaction with college; (e) perception of the campus.     

Orientation or dis-orientation?

This study was undertaken in an effort to determine the effect of freshman orientation upon student perceptions of university environment, knowledge of university information, and attitudes toward the orientation experience. The most important finding was that orientation significantly influenced student perception of university environment, as measured by the CUES. On the Practicality, Awareness, and Scholarship scales, differences between the pre-test and post-test groups were found to be significant at the .01 level of confidence; on the Community scale the difference was significant at the .05 level. The interesting point is, however, that these differences were not in the desired or expected direction.     

The Anatomy of Revolutionists

A questionnaire containing 62 items relating to the New Left and 28 items measuring anomia, authoritarianism, and Machiavellianism was given to 153 entering freshmen at Columbia in the fall of 1968. The five factors emerging from a factor analysis of responses to the items were labeled: New Left Philosophy, Revolutionary Tactics, Machiavellian Tactics, Machiavellian Cynicism, and Traditional Moralism. Students who had been politically active prior to coming to college scored higher than the rest of the group on New Left Philosophy, Revolutionary Tactics, and Machiavellian Cynicism, but scored lower on Machiavellian'Tactics and Traditional Moralism. In the spring of 1969, a revised set of items was given to students in introductory psychology classes at Columbia University and New York University. While the findings from these subjects replicated those found with the Columbia freshmen, they showed subtle differences which led to speculations about the radicalization process. Also discussed are the relationships between the nature of political participation and all of the factors, with special emphasis on the discrepancy between Machiavellian Tactics and Cynicism.     

College admissions assistance by secondary school counselors

Information was collected over a three-year period dealing with college admissions assistance received by 2,500 (27 percent) of the entering freshmen at the University of Massachusetts. This information concerned the timing of various student decisions about college admission, sources of information, and reactions to the assistance provided by high school counselors. Entering freshmen perceived the counselor as being a helpful source of specific information but having little effect on their decisions to continue in higher education. The authors make interpretations related to the University, and they compare the results to Kerr's similar study in 1961.     

Consistent occupational preferences and satisfaction,self concept,self acceptance and vocational maturity

This study explored the differences on variables of satisfaction, self-concept, self-acceptance, and vocational maturity between freshmen students who made congruent and incongruent occupational choices. The variables were operationally defined by the College Student Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, the Berger scales, and the Vocational Development Inventory. Congruent and incongruent current occupational choice groups were defined operationally using the Self Directed Search. The analysis of variance of the scale scores did not reveal the main effect of congruence to be significant. However, a second analysis using a more rigorous definition of congruence revealed the main effect of congruence to be significant for four satisfaction variables. Findings suggest that subjects in the congruent male group tend to report better maintenance of personal stability and greater satisfaction than subjects in the incongruent female group.     

Racial differences in socially desirable responding in selection contexts: magnitude and consequences

Two studies were conducted to examine the magnitude and consequences of racial differences on social desirability (SD) scales. Study 1 included 1,063 job applicants, and Study 2 included 3 sets of incumbents (total N = 534). In both studies, participants were administered several personality measures and an SD scale. Across all samples, Whites scored lower on the SD scale than Blacks (average d = .37), Hispanics (average d = .47), and Asians (average d = 1.04), but these differences were not observed on the personality scales. The consequence of differences in socially desirable responding (SDR) is that fewer minority group members would be selected if SD scales were used to derive cut scores to eliminate individuals from the applicant pool or if the scales were used to correct personality test scores for SDR. However, applying the SD correction did not affect the validity of the personality test for any of the racial groups. Overall, our findings suggest that researchers and practitioners should consider the use of SD scales very carefully, as their use may have unintended consequences. These studies also demonstrate a need to closely examine the construct validity of SD measures across diverse groups.     

Intellectual development and its relationship to maturation during the college years

This study examines whether differences in the development of critical reasoning abilities among undergraduates can be attributed to factors other than college attendance, and specifically to differences in chronological maturation. Eight males and eight females were randomly selected and matched on ACT composite scores from each of four groups: 18-year-old freshmen; 22-year-old freshmen; 22-year-old seniors; and 26-year-old seniors. Theses 64 subjects were arranged within a non-assignable three factor design by age (adult and traditional), class level (freshman and senior), and sex. Subjects were administered the Reflective Judgment Interview, a structured interview format designed to measure the way individuals reason about intellectual problems. Two significant main effects were observed, with seniors scoring higher than freshman (p < .001), and males scoring higher than females. The class level main effect, in the absence of any significant difference of reflective judgment level due to age, suggests that college attendance does contribute to the development of critical reasoning beyond the factor of chronological maturation. An explanation for significant sex differences found is not clearly discernible from these data.     

Use of the MMPI-2 in American Indians: II. Empirical correlates

R. W. Robin, R. L. Greene, B. Albaugh, A. Caldwell, and D. Goldman (2003) reported that members of 2 American Indian tribal groups had statistically significant higher T scores on several MMPI-2 clinical, content, and supplementary scales than did the MMPI-2 normative group. The present study investigated the empirical correlates of the MMPI-2 scales in these American Indian tribal members. There were a large number of significant correlates reflecting antisocial symptoms with Scales 4 (Psychopathic Deviate), 9 (Hypomania), Anger, and Antisocial Practices. There were even a larger number of significant correlates reflecting generalized distress and negative affect with Scales 7 (Psychosthenia), 8 (Schizophrenia), Anxiety, Obsessions, Depression, and Welsh Anxiety. The rationally derived MMPI-2 content scales generally had larger correlations with these constructs than the clinical scales. Thus, the differences reported by R. W. Robin et al. (2003), appear to reflect behaviors and symptoms that American Indians participants were experiencing rather than test bias.     

Parent and child MMPI responses: Characteristics among families with adolescents in inpatient and outpatient settings

The relationship of parent personality to child psychopathology has been investigated in numerous MMPI studies over the past three decades. Very few of these studies, however, have directly analyzed MMPI response patterns of both parents and offspring. The current study included the MMPI responses of 199 families with adolescents entering inpatient and outpatient psychiatric setting (N = 542). Inpatient parents and adolescents had significantly higher mean scores across a variety of MMPI scales than did their outpatient counterparts. The linear combination of adolescent and maternal MMPI scale data, in a stepwise discriminative function analysis, resulted in accurate classification of 75% of all children in inpatient treatment and 74% of all children assigned to outpatient treatment. Findings were discussed in terms of salient MMPI differences between inpatient and outpatient families and shared psychopathological characteristics among family members with offspring in psychiatric treatment settings.     

Sex role development as a function of college experiences

The purpose was to evaluate the effect of college experiences on androgyny. One hundred and thirty-nine freshman and 57 senior women completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) as well as measures to assess precollege variables, including a biographical questionnaire, a life experience survey, a measure of parental identification, and parental sex role inventories. In addition, seniors completed measures that assessed college experiences. Almost all of the scales on the two precollege questionnaires that measured parental variables were found related to student's sex role. Consequently, all remaining relationships with sex role were examined with and without controlling for these parental scales. None of the variables that measured college experiences were found to be significantly related to sex role. The results did not support the hypothesis that seniors would assume a more masculine sex role than freshmen. However, the seniors did obtain significantly lower scores than freshmen on the BSRI Femininity scale.     

Validating Measures of Psychological Well-being by Contrasting Samples Employed in Hazardous and Less Hazardous Work

The study investigated whether differences between contrasting groups reflect significant differences in psychological well-being scores. Membership of hazardous vs. less hazardous occupations in the same profession served as proxy measures of well-being. Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC), Block & Kremen's Ego-resiliency, and Goldberg's Emotional Stability scales were validated. Study 1 compared mine rescue team members and ordinary miners (n = 34, 41) and Study 2 police special task force members and regular officers (n = 43, 41). In Study 1, SOC and job satisfaction predicted group membership. In Study 2, satisfaction with life and extraversion scales predicted group membership, as did SOC in a secondary analysis. The SOC scale could predict psychological well-being in hazardous work settings.     

大学新生心理健康状况调查分析

对广东某高校2005级大学新生的心理健康状况进行调查分析,旨在为开展大学生心理健康教育工作提供依据。研究结果表明:(1)当代大学新生心理健康状况良好,在E因子上有54.6%的新生的得分高于 0.67SD,属于外向型人格;在N因子上有54.4%新生的得分低于-1.15SD, 属于情绪反应缓慢型;在P因子上,只有3.5%的新生的得分高于 0.67SD,这表明绝大多数新生在精神质因子上表现良好;在L因子上,有69.4%的新生的得分介于±0.67SD之间,属于稳定型。(2)对当代大学新生心理健康状况与全国常模的进行比较研究,结果表明在E、N、P、L四个因子上,除了N因子外的得分显著高于全国正常成人常模标准分外,其余因子的得分均显著低于全国正常成人常模标准分。(3)采用t检验进行性别差异分析,结果表明在E因子上,性别差异不显著;在N、L因子上男生的得分要显著低于女生;在P因子上,男子的得分要显著高于女生。     

Behavior of depressed subjects in problem solving groups

This study investigated leadership selection in groups in relation to level of depression of group members. On the basis of MMPI-D and DACL scores 66 subjects were organized into groups of six to eight people consisting of all depressed, all nondepressed, or half depressed and half nondepressed subjects. Subjects performed a problem solving task alone and in groups and completed a questionnaire on leadership choice and group performance. Results indicate that nondepressed group members talked more frequently, were rated as more important contributors, and were selected as leaders more frequently than depressed members. In addition, mixed groups were perceived as more efficient and enjoyable by group members than the unmixed groups. There were no significant differences between depressed and nondepressed subjects on performance of the problem solving task whether working alone or in groups. Results were discussed in relation to other literature on the interpersonal behavior of depressed persons.     

Validity and clinical scale comparisons between the MMPI and MMPI-2 with psychiatric inpatients.

This study was designed to investigate the comparability of the original MMPI (1950) and the MMPI-2 (1989) with a psychiatric patient population. 34 male and 3 female patients, shortly after admission to one of two acute psychiatry units, completed the old and revised versions of the MMPI. Paired t tests indicated but scant differences for raw scores, while many more differences were found among T scores for validity, clinical, and supplemental scales. Analyses, however, showed all scales on the two forms to be highly correlated. Analysis of the high-point and two-point codes across the two administrations also showed relative stability, although the proportion of Scales 2 (Depression) and 8 (Schizophrenia) decreased, while those for Scales 6 (Paranoia) and 7 (Psychasthenia) increased markedly in the MMPI-2 protocols. Examination of each version's discriminability among mood- and thought-disordered subsamples suggested that the MMPI provides slightly better delineation between diagnostic classes. Discriminant function analyses showed that there were essentially no differences between the two forms in the accurate classification of clinical and nonclinical groups. The findings reported here provide support for the MMPI-2; despite modification, the newer form retains the advantages of the original MMPI. Differences found here may be unique to psychiatric patients and their patterns of MMPI/MMPI-2 equivalence and may not generalize to other special populations.     

Beliefs about Chastity, Machismo, and Caste Identity: A Cultural Psychology of Gender

The study was conducted with a community sample (N = 1118) of participants from three caste groups (Brahmins, Thevars, and Gounders) from villages that are reported to have an extremely male-biased sex ratio in Tamilnadu, India. Chastity, Machismo, and Caste Identity scales were used to assess cultural beliefs about gender and caste. The correlations among beliefs about caste identity, chastity, and machismo were significant for all three caste groups. There was a significant difference between Brahmins and the other caste groups in beliefs about caste, chastity, and machismo. There was a significant interaction among marital status and gender. Married men’s scores on chastity and machismo were higher than unmarried men for all caste groups. Thevars and Gounders were high on machismo and chastity. Women in all caste groups, particularly Thevar women, were high on caste identity. The implications of the findings for the study of gender and immigration are discussed.     

A content and correlational analysis of seven locus of control scales

Seven locus of control scales—two designed for adults and five for children—were administered to about 200 adolescents. A content analysis revealed very little overlap between the scales which had practically no effect on the correlations between them. Correlations between the five children’s locus of control scale scores were highly significant, and nearly all greater than .50, but the two adult scales showed very little significant correlations either with each other, or any of the children’s scales. A number of demographic variables were correlated with total scale scores of which age was the most significant. The results are discussed in terms of the multidimensional nature of the concept, psychometric evaluation of locus of control beliefs in different age groups and the specificity of the concept in general.