Genetic and Environmental Influences on Psychopathy Trait Dimensions in a Community Sample of Male Twins

Psychopathy appears to be comprised of two broad dimensions: impulsivity/antisocial behavior and interpersonal detachment/callousness. This study examined the extent to which variance in these 2 psychopathy trait dimensions was associated with common or unique genetic, shared, and nonshared environmental factors in two independent samples of reared together 16–18-year-old male twins. One sample included 142 monozygotic (MZ) and 70 dizygotic (DZ) pairs; the other sample included 128 MZ and 58 DZ pairs. Boys completed the Minnesota Temperament Inventory (MTI), a 19-item measure that contains separate subscales: Antisocial and Detachment. Variance in the Antisocial and Detachment scales was associated with additive genetic factors and neither scale was associated with shared environmental factors. As expected, the bivariate biometric analysis suggested genetic influence on the covariance of the scales. The results are consistent with theoretical models of psychopathy that posit some independence in the etiology of the two major trait dimensions of psychopathy.     

ON THE CONCEPT OF FUTURE TIME ORIENTATION: CONSIDERATIONS OF SOME FUNCTIONs' AND MEASUREMENTs' IMPLICATIONS*

Empirical studies have revealed contradictory results concerning future time orientation and various other factors. The lack of consensus between the concept and measurements is postulated to be the main reason for the diversity in results. It is necessary to differentiate between (a) experimentally induced future (time) orientation and future time orientation (FTO) considered as a personality trait, and (b) between dimensions of FTO and the manifestation and functional significance of these dimensions in behavior. It is suggested that measurements of FTO should be related to nonspecific situations in order to avoid that certain valences, and thereby different degrees of arousal of FTO, are induced in the FTO measure itself.     

Cross‐cultural validation of the factor structure for the Korean version of the Classroom Climate Inventory

The purpose of the present study was to validate the Classroom Climate Inventory (CCI) in Korean middle schools. Specifically, we investigated whether the original eight‐factor structure of the Japanese version of the CCI (Involvement, Affiliation, Friction, Satisfaction, Self‐disclosure, Task Orientation, Order, and Equity) is appropriate for Korean middle schools. The results indicated that the Korean version of the CCI showed a different factor structure from the Japanese CCI. In the cross‐culturally validated CCI, the Friction factor included in the Japanese version was divided into two factors (i.e., Harmony and Conflict), and Equity was excluded. The final model of the Korean CCI displayed acceptable goodness‐of‐fit indices, which indicated that it is a valid instrument by which to measure the classroom climate of Korean middle schools. Lastly, implications for future research and limitations are discussed.     

An inductive exploration of the social effectiveness construct space

ABSTRACT There is no agreement regarding the nature or number of dimensions that make up the social effectiveness domain. We inductively explore the relationships between a set of social effectiveness measures with the intention of identifying an initial set of dimensions. An exploratory factor analysis of the Social Competence Inventory (SCI, Schneider, 2001 ) resulted in the identification of four factors: Social Potency, Social Appropriateness, Social Emotional Expression, and Social Reputation. A joint factor analysis between the SCI and a set of extant measures resulted in the identification of the same four factors. A fifth factor emerged when a set of scales from an emotional intelligence measure was included in the analysis, suggesting that emotional intelligence is not captured within the common factor space defined by measures of social effectiveness. This study represents a first step in the establishment of a set of common social effectiveness dimensions.     

儒学和之道的诠释与反思

“和”是儒学之道的最高点。作为核心议题,和贯穿于儒家学术讨论的各个层面。“和”在字源上与音乐相关,其主旨有别于“同”,与德行修养、政治教化、生活实践相关联。儒家多在天人关系的语境中阐述“和”,认为天人在根本上是和谐而非对立的。依据对天的不同理解,儒家天人和谐思想呈现为两大主张:人与主宰之天合一、人与自然之天协同。同时,儒家关于和的论述并不仅仅是一种探寻形而上之奥秘的理论尝试。这一理论具有很强的化解冲突、建立秩序的实践性功能。作为一种救治方案,和道在人的领域具有人我、家庭和国家三个向度,追求一种动态的有序。     

On suppressing unwanted cues via randomization

In certain perceptual discrimination tasks, a change in a particular stimulus variable can be perceived as changes along multiple perceptual dimensions. If the study is primarily concerned with a particular perceptual dimension or cue, it is important that the experimenter keep the influences of the other unwanted but correlated perceptual cues under control. One way to accomplish this objective is to randomize the stimuli along the stimulus dimensions primarily associated with these unwanted cues, making them unreliable as a basis for the discrimination. This theoretical note presents a mathematical proof that a uniform randomization is the most effective way of suppressing unwanted cues.     

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Self-Report Version in a Student Sample

The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of an Icelandic translation of the self-report version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS-SR). The Y-BOCS-SR was administered to a sample of 427 Icelandic university students along with another measure of OCD symptoms (OCI-R) and measures of general anxiety and worry (GAD-Q-IV and PSWQ). The internal consistency of the Y-BOCS-SR total severity score and its obsession and compulsion subscales was very good. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two- factor structure of the severity dimensions but a three-factor model with obsession, compulsion and resistance/control factors fitted the data equally well. Five factors described best the latent structure of the symptom dimensions. Support was found for the convergent and divergent validity of the Y-BOCS-SR. The results indicate that the Y-BOCS-SR is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the severity of obsessions and compulsions in a student population.     

AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK GROUP CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE: ONCE MORE INTO THE BREECH

This paper describes an investigation of the relationship between a measure of work group characteristics and both subjective and objective measures of group performance. To assess the relationship between the work group characteristics and performance, objective performance data and manager ratings were collected for customer service work groups who completed the measure. Correlational analyses provided evidence of a relationship between specific work group characteristics and various performance measures. In addition, a factor analysis of the measure provided a more parsimonious set of dimensions that were also related to the criterion measures. The results are discussed in terms of the factors related to work group effectiveness and their relevance to work groups in various types of organizations.     

心理隐喻的变迁与心理治疗模式的转换

心理治疗模式的转换始终伴随着心理隐喻的变迁,每一种心理治疗模式都蕴涵着一个独特的心理隐喻,支撑着研究领域的共同理解。揭示这些治疗模式内蕴的心理隐喻,梳理心理隐喻的变迁轨迹,有助于我们更好地理解心理治疗模式的转换规律,展望心理治疗的发展前景。     

A criterion for significant common factor variance

Up to the present only empirical methods have been available for determining the number of factors to be extracted from a matrix of correlations. The problem has been confused by the implicit attitude that a matrix of intercorrelations between psychological variables has a rank which is determinable. A table of residuals always contains error variance and common factor variance. The extraction of successive factors increases the proportion of error variance remaining to common factor variance remaining, and a point is reached where the extraction of more dimensions would contain so much error variance that the common factor variance would be overshadowed. The critical value for this point is determined by probability theory and does not take into account the size of the residuals. Interpretation of the criterion is discussed.     

ON THE APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICAL LEARNING THEORIES. II

The most important components of the empirical adequacy of a mathematical learning theory are claimed to be: truth, explanatory power, information content, refutability, range, and simplicity. The main result of this paper is that the amount of information common to the theory and the empirical evidence can be used to measure the four first of these. As this common information in turn is measured by a certain kind of statistical likelihood test, a basis is found for comparing theories in empirical research. Provisional rules of acceptance for mathematical learning theories in accordance with this are stated.     

Linguistic styles: language use as an individual difference

Can language use reflect personality style? Studies examined the reliability, factor structure, and validity of written language using a word-based, computerized text analysis program. Daily diaries from 15 substance abuse inpatients, daily writing assignments from 35 students, and journal abstracts from 40 social psychologists demonstrated good internal consistency for over 36 language dimensions. Analyses of the best 15 language dimensions from essays by 838 students yielded 4 factors that replicated across written samples from another 381 students. Finally, linguistic profiles from writing samples were compared with Thematic Apperception Test coding, self-reports, and behavioral measures from 79 students and with self-reports of a 5-factor measure and health markers from more than 1,200 students. Despite modest effect sizes, the data suggest that linguistic style is an independent and meaningful way of exploring personality.     

The role of depressogenic personality and attachment in the intergenerational similarity of depressive symptoms: a study with early adolescents and their mothers

Parental depression has been identified as a risk factor for psychopathology in children, and for child depression in particular. Increasingly, research is addressing the underlying psychological processes that may explain the intergenerational similarity of depressive symptoms. In the present study, we aim to investigate the role of two theoretically relevant vulnerability factors in this intergenerational similarity, that is, (a) dimensions of depressogenic personality (i.e., sociotropy and autonomy) and (b) dimensions of attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidance). Results in a sample of early adolescents and their mothers show significant intergenerational similarity in both sets of vulnerabilities. Moreover, the intergenerational similarity of both vulnerability factors was found to account for the association between mothers' and children's depressive symptoms. Within each generation there were also meaningful and specific associations between dimensions of depressogenic personality and dimensions of attachment, with sociotropy being primarily related to anxiety and with autonomy being primarily related to avoidance.     

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE OF PERCEIVED HOMOPHILY IN INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

This paper reports the development of a measure of perceived homophily. In both an initial investigation and in four subsequent studies employing samples from diverse populations, four dimensions of response were observed. These dimensions were labeled Attitude, Morality, Appearance, and Background. Additional results indicated that opinion leaders are perceived as more homophilous than non-opinion leaders on the dimensions of Attitude, Morality, and Background. The scales found to measure these dimensions are suggested for consideration by researchers concerned with homophily or interpersonal similarity in human communication.     

CROSS-VALIDATIONAL EVIDENCE ON THE DIMENSIONS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IN THE EARLY GRADES

One hundred forty-seven children in the first through the third grades were rated by their teachers on a behavior problem inventory employed in previous studies. The data were subjected to a principal axis factor analysis and rotated to an oblique position. Congruence coefficients were computed among the twelve factors resulting from the current analysis, and the eight factors extracted in an earlier study. Six of the factor matches were significant at or beyond the .O1 level. Five of these matches had a sufficient number of salient variables common to the two studies. The five dimensions meeting the consideration of significance of congruence across samples and sufficient common salients were termed, in an earlier study, Hyperactivity, Sluggishness, Paranoid Tendencies, Social Withdrawal, and Acting Out. The evidence of the predictive validity of these was briefly discussed.     

Handwriting characteristics and their relationship to Eysenck's extraversion-introversion and Kagan's impulsivity-reflectivity dimensions.

Examined the relationship between certain handwriting characteristics and Eysenck's Extraversion-Introversion and Kagan's Impulsivity-Reflectivity personality dimensions. Using 46 female subjects, scores on the EPQ inventory and Matching Familiar Figures test were compared by factor analysis to the handwriting characteristics of: middle zone height; middle zone breadth; upper zone height; lower zone height; space between words; right margin breadth; left margin breadth; a general size measure; handwriting time; paragraph indention; slant. The factor analysis revealed three distinct writing styles: one related to Extraversion; another related to Introversion; and a final one related to Reflectivity. These findings were discussed in relation to statements made by graphologists. Also, the significance of trait-sign and factor analysis in comparison with other methods of graphoanalysis was discussed.     

Culture and the Structure of Affect: A Bifactor Modeling Approach

This paper tested the impact of culture on the basic structure of affect. It examined positive affect and negative affect at three levels of activation in the U.S. and China. It used a well-suited tool, the bifactor model, to separate the common variance shared by all types of affect from the variance unique to each. The findings indicate that the structure of affect is different cross-culturally. In the U.S., the most fundamental dimension is defined by moderate activation of positive affect and negative affect, which is the largely bipolar dimension of pleasure-displeasure, whereas in China, it is defined by moderate activation of positive affect only, which is pleasure. In both cultures, negative affect across levels of activation forms another important dimension. Beyond these basic dimensions, secondary dimensions are also identified in both cultures: high activation positive affect, low activation positive affect, and low activation negative affect. They form relatively weak unique factors, independent of the two basic dimensions, suggesting that they are largely mixtures of the basic dimensions.     

Reply to Goldberg and Steinberg

In response to Peter Goldberg’s (this issue) critical remarks, the author proposes to differentiate between the semantic plane of communication and the semiotic plane, but to place both in the more general category of the symbolic. In humans, non-linguistic communication is always influenced indirectly, if not directly, by the common belonging to the realm of the symbolic and language. The second part of the text contains a commentary on the clinical vignette of Beth Steinberg from the point of view of the theory of the analytical field.     

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL-LEVEL ORIENTATION TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE SOCIALIZATION OF NEW HIRES

This quasi-experimental field study examined the impact of attending a voluntary, organizational-level new employee orientation training program on organizational socialization. Six content dimensions of socialization were measured before and 1 to 2 months following orientation training for a sample of 116 new employees in a variety of occupations. Results revealed that employees attending the orientation training were significantly more socialized on 3 of the 6 socialization content dimensions (goals/values, history, & people) than employees who did not attend the training. Employees attending the orientation training also had significantly higher levels of affective organizational commitment than nonattendees, a relationship that was fully mediated by the socialization content dimensions, primarily goals/values, and history.