Linguistic factors and meaningfulness of personal constructs

Studied the effect of linguistic development and social appropriateness of a language upon the meaningfulness of personal constructs articulated in this language. Subjects were 60 bilingual pupils from a boys secondary school in Tanzania. Linguistic development was manipulated by choosing pupils who had either 1½ years or 3½ years experience of instruction in English. For each subject constructs were elicited and grids administered in both English and Swahili. Two types of elements were used, for one of which Swahili was the socially more appropriate language and for the other, English. Results from the study indicate that rating polarization is a function of both linguistic development and appropriateness of language for construing the domain in question. These results are therefore interpreted as indicating that meaningfulness of personal constructs, as indicated by rating polarization, can have linguistic determinants.     

Physical health 25 years later: the predictive ability of neuroticism

OBJECTIVE: Neuroticism, a personality trait related to distress and emotional stability, is often correlated with physical symptoms and disease presence. Theorists have posited that chronic emotional instability creates physiological changes detrimental to health, yet most findings are based on cross-sectional analyses. The objective of the current study was to examine neuroticism assessed in 1973 and the likelihood of reporting physical conditions 25 years later. DESIGN: Participants included 21676 adult twins (n = 8143 intact twin pairs) ranging from 15 to 47 years old in 1973 who were assessed again between 1998 and 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Thirteen physical conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, ulcers, and coronary heart disease, were selected based on their prior theoretical and empirical links to personality traits. RESULTS: Results indicate that the likelihood of having a physical condition is related to higher levels of prior neuroticism, with some associations attenuated when controlling for familial similarity. CONCLUSION: Familial influences are most pronounced for conditions most related to systemic pain, suggesting genetic pathways between neuroticism and these pain experiences.     

Predictors of suicidal thoughts: Mood instability versus neuroticism

The personality trait neuroticism predicts depression and suicidal thoughts. Neuroticism is also linked to mood instability (MI)¹ that is common in patients with depression. This study investigated (a) whether MI predicts suicidal thoughts in depressed patients and (b) the relationship of MI to neuroticism. All 129 patients with Major Depression (MINI interview) were assessed on MI (Affective Lability Scale), neuroticism (Short Eysenck Neuroticism Scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and suicidal thoughts (Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation). Participants also completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Mood Disorder Questionnaire and five clinical questions on MI. Factor analysis of the Eysenck Neuroticism Scale revealed unstable moods as one of three main factors. Only depression severity and MI predicted suicidal thoughts once other variables including neuroticism were controlled. Mediation analyses showed that MI mediated the relationship between neuroticism and suicidal thoughts. These results suggest that MI as measured by the Affective Lability Scale typifies the type of depression that predicts suicidal thoughts and that MI may be more directly associated with suicidal thoughts than neuroticism. This demonstrates the clinical value of assessing MI rather than neuroticism in the treatment of patients with depression with suicidal thoughts.     

Clinical and grid predictions of inconsistencies in individuals' personal constructs

An experiment was conducted to determine the ability of the coordinate grid to assess logical inconsistencies that characterize individuals. Previous research has shown the grid differentiates groups predicted to vary in inconsistency. In the present study therapists' were significantly likely to differentiate real from bogus grid reports of their clients' inconsistencies. Results suggest the grid does assess inconsistencies that characterize the individual.     

Reference groups and professional self-image: The case of architects

The two objectives of this study are: (1) to investigate empirically the relationships between reference groups and the individual's self-image, as part of understanding the process of self-image development; and (2) to increase our understanding of architects' professional identity dilemma of whether to identify themselves as artists or as engineers. The study demonstrated that reference groups which were not membership groups, and even not dominant references, were significantly associated with self-image. Focusing on architectural students, it showed that although reference to artists was not dominant for most of the subjects (i.e., they did not select artists as one of the two most important groups of evaluators of one's professional work), a significant difference was found between the self-image of students who referred to artists and those who did not. The image of the former was closer to that of the artist, while the latter was closer to that of the engineer.     

Testing a computational model of interpersonal judgment with personal constructs

In a repertory grid experiment based on elicited personal constructs we tested several predictive implications of a computational model of interpersonal judgment developed by Lefebvre, Lefebvre, and Adams-Webber (1986). Results are compared with related findings within the framework of personal construct theory.     

Revisiting the imaginary audience and personal fable constructs of adolescent egocentrism: a conceptual review

Adolescents are thought to believe that others are always watching and evaluating them, and that they are special and unique, labeled the imaginary audience and the personal fable, respectively. These two constructs have been fixtures in textbooks on adolescent development, and have been offered as explanations for self-consciousness and risk-taking. However, their characterization of adolescent social cognition as biased has not been supported empirically, the measures used to assess them lack construct validity, and alternative explanations for both ideation patterns have not been explored. Despite these issues, the imaginary audience and personal fable constructs continue to be considered prototypical representations of social cognitive processes during adolescence. This paper (1) reviews theoretical models of the imaginary audience and the personal fable, and the empirical data pertaining to each model, (2) highlights problems surrounding the two most commonly used measures, and (3) outlines directions for future research, so that a better understanding of the imaginary audience and personal fable, and their roles in adolescent development, may be achieved.