The relationship between aggressive and sexual behavior in male mice: Effects of testosterone and parachlorophenylalanine

The purpose of this study was to clarify the connection between aggressive and sexual behavior with the aid of testosterone propionate (TP) and parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Previous studies have indicated that aggressive and sexual behavior are positively correlated, and it has been suggested that both behaviors are related to the level of general arousal. Testosterone has documented effects on both aggressive and sexual behavior. It has been hypothesized that these effects are due to an increased level of general arousal. If this is the case, aggressive and sexual behavior could be restored by administration of drugs excitating the central nervous system, e.g., PCPA. The present study examined the effects of TP and PCPA on aggressive and sexual behavior in gonadectomized male mice. Control animals were injected with sesame seed oil or saline. The level of aggressiveness was assessed by means of dyadic tests with gonad-intact male opponents. For the sexuality tests, a receptive female was placed in the home cage of the experimental male. The results showed that male mice injected with PCPA were more aggressive than the males of the other groups, while the TP-exposed males expressed the most sexual activity. Compared to the control group, the PCPA and TP groups were more active in both the aggression and the sexuality tests. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that the earlier documented correlations between aggressive and sexual behavior could be due to both behaviors being dependent on a certain level of general activation. Aggr. Behav. 24:367–377, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The relationship between assessment and psychotherapy

The many arguments, pro and con, about the usefulness and roles of diagnosis in general, and a psychological test battery in particular, can be settled only with reference to particular tests, a particular tester, particular patients, with reference to particular questions, in a particular context. Psychologists need to establish the usefulness of tests in cost-effective ways and demonstrate how tests provide a means of studying the mind. It follows that all psychotherapists should be able to use the tests, as all physiologists should be able to use a microscope. The rule of thumb that therapists should not give tests to their patients is unnecessary, though it is preferable that the tests be given early in the relationship, and that patients have the opportunity to explore their reactions to the procedure. To maximize the usefulness of tests given by someone who is not the patient's therapist, the test report should be designed as a means of persuasion toward therapeutic action more than a passive report of findings. An outline for test report writing is suggested. Finally, the use of tests helps elucidate the many factors that contribute to change through psychotherapy.     

The relationship between creativity and psychosis-proneness

One-hundred and fifteen undergraduates were repeatedly administered a battery measuring schizotypal personality type and creativity (remote associations). Principal Components Analysis found a two-factor model to be most parsimonious. The pattern of results suggests that magical ideation and perceptual aberration items are represented by one factor and suspiciousness by the second. Analysis of consistent versus inconsistent high scorers on the schizoptypia measure indicated that inconsistent high scorers on the suspiciousness factor scored significantly higher than consistent high scorers on the creativity measure.     

The relationship between self-efficacy and depression in adolescents

This study examined the self-efficacy status of depressed versus nondepressed adolescents. As predicted, self-efficacy was negatively correlated with depression. A three-way interaction of Sex x Age x Level of Depression suggested separate analyses for males and females. Regression analysis revealed age-related changes in the dependence of depression scores on general, academic, physical and social self-efficacy status. It was concluded that self-efficacy has an important relationship with adolescent depression. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

The relationship between depression and smoking in adolescents

The literature suggests that smokers are more likely to be depressed, while people who are depressed are more likely to smoke. The purpose of the present study was to determine the strength of the relationship between smoking, depression, intention to smoke, and several psychosocial and environmental factors. The participants (98 high school and college students aged 16 to 19 years) completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire consisting of the Multiscore Depression Inventory (MDI) and items regarding smoking behavior as well as psychosocial and environmental factors. Correlation, stepwise regression, and discriminant analyses were then conducted. It was found that participants were more likely to smoke if their parents smoked, if their scores on the MDI indicated instrumental helplessness and social isolation/withdrawal, or if they were older. Participants were more likely to state intention to smoke in the future if they had MDI scores indicating instrumental helplessness, if they were older, if their parents smoked, if their MDI scores indicated social intro-version, or if they resided with a guardian. Participants were also more likely to have smoked for more years if their parents smoked or if their scores on the MDI indicated instrumental helplessness. Further, participants were more likely to have scores on the MDI indicative of higher depression levels if they had low grades or if their parents smoked.     

The new member: "infanticide" in group psychotherapy.

While the variety of responses of psychotherapy groups to new members is wide, this article addresses those that are treatment destructive, that is, murderous in that they are aimed at the elimination of a new sibling. A number of frequently encountered destructive response patterns to new members are illustrated and categorized. It is suggested that survival of the new member is best insured by adequate preparation of the group so that the nucleus of powerful feelings activated in this situation can be felt and expressed prior to the addition of the new member. A clinical example of appropriate preparation is offered, and the contributions of group therapists to new member casualties are noted.     

The relationship between mindfulness and self-promoting illusions

It was hypothesized that people who are mindful will exhibit less self-enhancing illusions than those who are less mindful, based on the nature of mindfulness and Zen Buddhist philosophy. Self-enhancing illusions were measured using the Self Attributes Questionnaire, and mindfulness was measured using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale among a sample of 151 students. Contrary to predictions, results revealed a positive correlation between mindfulness and self-enhancing illusions. Possible reasons for this seeming contradiction are discussed.     

试论宗教与道德的一般关系

本文论述了宗教与道德的一般关系。文章分三个部分。在第一部分中 ,文章从存在的维度、与求生活动的距离、发挥作用的范围和方式 ,以及表现形式等四个方面 ,对宗教与道德的不同方面作了分疏 ,同时指出它们在两个方面的相通性 :有一二元对峙的价值坐标 ;有维持、巩固社会秩序的相似功能。第二部分对宗教与世俗道德的关系作了论述。这种关系是交互的 :一方面 ,宗教能“圣化”道德 ,能把自己的某些信条直接转化为世俗道德 ;另一方面 ,宗教也能从世俗道德吸取某些道德资源 ,使之成为自己教义和道德的组成部分 ,而世俗道德也能迫使宗教作出某种相应的改变。第三部分讨论了宗教道德及其基本特征。文章在肯定宗教道德存在的同时 ,指出宗教道德具有神圣的宗教背景、倾向于众生平等的博爱、和更带禁欲色彩三个基本特征。     

The relationship between commitment and exercise behavior

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between commitment and exercise behavior using the Sport Commitment Model (SCM; J Sport & Exercise Psychology, 15, 1) as a guiding conceptual framework.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Methods: Participants at two universities (N₁=205; 83.4% female; N₂=223; 73.1% female) provided demographic information and completed measures of exercise commitment and frequency of exercise behavior.Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of 5 determinants (personal investments, social support, satisfaction, social constraints, and invovlement alternatives) and 2 dimensions (‘want’ and ‘have’) of commitment. Structural equation modeling analyses supported the predictive utility of the SCM accounting for 31% and 51% of the commitment dimension variance and 12% of the exercise behavior variance respectively. Satisfaction and personal investment predicted both commitment dimensions, whereas alternatives and social constraints predicted ‘have to’ commitment only, and the ‘want to’ commitment dimension was the only significant predictor of exercise behavior.Conclusion: These results render some support for the psychometric properties of the measures used to assess commitment constructs in the exercise domain and provide partial support for the application of the SCM to the study of exercise motivation issues.     

The relationship between comprehension and metacomprehension ability

We investigated the relationship between the ability to comprehend text and the ability to predict future performance and to assess past performance on text. Subjects were poor at predicting performance, which may be why prediction accuracy did not relate to measures of comprehension ability. Measures of comprehension ability did relate to the accuracy with which subjects assessed their performance on tests. Better and faster comprehenders judged their relative levels of test performance over sections of text more accurately than did poorer and slower comprehenders.