Stability and change in generative concern: Evidence from a longitudinal survey

Longitudinal data taken at a ten-year interval from a large, nationally representative sample were used to examine stability and change in generative concern, as measured by a reduced form of the Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS). Rank-order stability over a ten year period was high (r > .6) among those respondents 30 or older at the time of first measurement. Mean scores on the LGS increased for men aged 24–29 and decreased for men and women aged 60–69, but the size of these changes was small. First marriage and childbearing were not associated with an increase in LGS scores. The evidence suggests both life-long stability and a small mid-life peak in generative concern.     

Dark Triad personality traits and adolescent cyber-aggression

The current study empirically investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad personality traits and cyber-aggression among adolescents (14–18 year old). The sample consisted of 324 participants aged 14–18 (M = 16.05, SD = 1.31). Participants completed the Short Dark Triad (SD3) as a measure of the Dark Triad personality traits, the Facebook Intensity Scale and a scale to measure cyber-aggression. Structural equation modelling was applied to investigate the relationships. Results show that only Facebook intensity and psychopathy significantly predict cyber-aggression, when controlling for age and gender. Findings are discussed regarding the potential importance to further study Dark Triad traits, and psychopathy in particular, in the context of adolescent cyber-aggression.     

Body appreciation,sexual relationship status,and protective sexual behaviors in women

The relationship between body appreciation and sexual risk reduction behavior in women is under-explored. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between body appreciation, male condom use, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing among a community-based sample of women (n = 285). Logistic regression results revealed that after controlling for age, BMI, and sexual orientation, having more than one sexual partner moderated body appreciation and current male condom use (OR = 4.21, p < .01, CI = 1.510–11.726). Body appreciation was not a significant predictor of STI testing in the previous 12 months. This suggests that women with higher body appreciation may be more likely to engage in some protective sexual health behaviors. Interventions that seek to improve body appreciation instead of body size change such as weight loss or gain may encourage certain protective sexual behaviors in women.     

Marital status and reproduction: Associations with childhood intelligence and adult social class in the Aberdeen children of the 1950s study

Childhood intelligence (age 11) and occupational social status at midlife (age 46 to 51) was associated with marital status and reproduction in a sample from the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s cohort study (N = 9614).Male and female divorcees had lower childhood intelligence test scores than their married counterparts, but no meaningful difference was found between ever- and never-married individuals. Lower occupational social status increased the odds of being never-married, divorced, separated or widowed compared to being married by 53% to 26% in men (N = 2716) but not in women (N = 2920). Higher intelligence scores were associated with being married rather than divorced at midlife with odds ratios (OR) of 0.86 (Confidence Interval of 95% of 0.76 to 0.99) in men, and 0.87 (0.77 to 0.98) in women.In men, lower intelligence predicted having offspring (0.69; 0.59 to 0.81), while in women, higher occupational status was associated with lower odds of having children (0.66; 0.55 to 0.76). An interaction term showed that high intelligence women remained childless in the top occupational classes but, in the lower social groups, mothers were more intelligent than their childless peers. Intelligence or occupational status were not associated with the number of offspring in both sexes.     

Cross-sectional age differences in the HEXACO personality: Results from a Japanese sample

Little research has been conducted on personality development in non-Western countries. The present study investigated age differences in personality in Japanese middle adults (N = 2000; M = 40.94 years; SD = 5.35, range 30–49; 1000 women). After controlling for educational level, annual income, marital status, and gender, it was found that the level of Emotionality was negatively associated with age. Honesty–Humility, on the other hand, was positively associated with age. However, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness were not associated with the participant age. These findings suggest that trends in personality development may differ slightly between Western and non-Western countries.     

Do lesbian women have a better body image? Comparisons with heterosexual women and model of lesbian-specific factors

Body dissatisfaction is prevalent among women but may be less common among lesbian women. Although research trends toward this conclusion when samples are well-matched and body mass index (BMI) is controlled for, many studies do not exhibit these characteristics. Furthermore, few studies have examined sociocultural contributors to group differences. I addressed limitations of past research with a large community sample of lesbian (n = 479) and heterosexual (n = 400) women. I contrasted the two sexual identity groups on several body dissatisfaction measures, and tested theoretically derived relationships between lesbian-specific cultural factors and body dissatisfaction. As predicted, lesbian women reported lower body dissatisfaction than did heterosexual women on three of four measures, and expressed a larger ideal body size. A structural equation model of lesbian-specific risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction did not reveal significant relationships. This study represents a first attempt to model culturally specific influences on lesbian body image.     

How would the self be remembered? Evidence for posthumous self-verification

Three correlational studies and one experiment examined self-verification versus self-enhancement in a posthumous context. In Study 1, in two samples (combined N = 3029) modal responses suggest a desire to be remembered as one really is, far into the future. Studies 2 (N = 92) and 3 (N = 414) showed that posthumous self-verification was independent of life satisfaction, positive self-evaluations, and self-construals but was related to self-esteem, the search for meaning in life, and generativity. In Study 4 (N = 461), the salience of negative and positive self-aspects was manipulated. Even when negative qualities were salient, the majority of participants (61%) preferred to be remembered as they really are. The role of self-verification in existential concerns is discussed.     

Identification of biological and environmental risk factors for language delay: The Let's Talk STEPS study

The aim of this population-based study was to identify demographic factors for language delays at an early age. The risk analysis covered 11 biological and 8 environmental factors. The mothers’ concerns regarding language development were also examined. A total of 226 children from a Finnish cohort study were invited to participate in language assessments at 36 months. The test results for word finding and language comprehension were compared with parental questionnaires about children's vocabulary at 13 and 24 months.Regression analysis revealed that the father's social class (t = −2.79, p = 0.006) and working full time (t = −2.86, p = 0.005) significantly predicted children's language delay. In addition, language comprehension was significantly predicted by the mother's social class (t = −2.06, p = 0.041) and by gender, with an advantage to girls (t = −2.71, p = 0.008). Vocabulary at 24 months was a powerful predictor for lexical development (t = 4.58, p < 0.0001) and language comprehension (t = 4.85, p < 0.0001) at 36 months. Mothers’ concerns were correlated with children's limited lexicons as early as 24 months (r = 0.31, p < 0.0001) and poor language comprehension (r = −0.35, p < 0.0001) at 36 months. Mothers were especially concerned if the parents needed special education during school years.At the population-level, gender was the most powerful biological factor in predicting language delays. Similarly, both parents’ social status had predictive value for the child's language development. In addition, it was found that the mother's concern about her child's slow language acquisition should be taken into account when making decisions regarding special support.     

Maternal postpartum depressive symptoms and infant externalizing and internalizing behaviors

Maternal postpartum depression has been shown to be one of the main predictors of externalizing and internalizing behaviors in toddlers and adolescents. Research suggests that presence of such behaviors can be observed as early as infancy. The current study uses longitudinal data from 247 mothers to examine the relationship between postpartum depressive symptoms at 8 weeks and the infant's externalizing and internalizing behaviors at 12 months. In unadjusted linear regression models, there were associations between postpartum depressive symptoms and infant externalizing behaviors (β = 0.082, SE = 0.032, p = 0.012) and internalizing behaviors (β = 0.111, SE = 0.037, p = 0.003). After controlling for potential confounding factors, including maternal age, race, education, home ownership, smoking status in the postpartum period, marital status, parenting stress, and happiness from becoming a parent, the associations between postpartum depressive symptoms and infant externalizing (β = 0.051, SE = 0.034, p = 0.138) and internalizing behaviors (β = 0.077, SE = 0.040, p = 0.057) were reduced and became non-significant. Furthermore, in these models the total amount of variance explained was 17.2% (p < 0.0001) for externalizing behaviors and 10.5% (p < 0.01) for internalizing behaviors; the only significant predictor of externalizing behaviors was maternal age (β = −0.074, SE = 0.030, p = 0.014), and of internalizing behaviors was white non-Hispanic ethnicity (β = −1.33, SE = 0.378, p = 0.0005). A combined effect of the confounding factors seems to explain the finding of no significant independent association between postpartum depressive symptoms and infant externalizing and internalizing behaviors.     

Social representations associated with men and women drivers among French adolescents and adults. Effects of the perceiver’s age,sex, and socioeconomic status

The aim of this study was to investigate the specific contents of the social representations (SR) associated with men and women drivers and examine the effects of the social insertions of individuals (i.e., age, sex and socio-economic status) on the content and structure of these SR. A preliminary study with 414 French participants identified thematic content associated with men and women drivers using the verbal association method. Based on these themes, 833 French participants, equally distributed by age group (from 12 to 50 years-old and over), sex and socioeconomic status (SES), were asked to answer a questionnaire on men (N = 422) or women (N = 411) drivers. The results show that each of these SR is organized around three factors: incompetence, prudence and lack of self-control for women drivers; carelessness, skills and self-control for men drivers. In-group favoritism bias can be noted in both groups as male participants, more than female ones, rated men drivers as having self-control and women drivers as lacking self-control, whereas female participants, more than male ones, perceived men drivers as careless and women drivers as prudent. Despite this phenomenon, more male respondents than female ones in all age groups seemed to believe that women are not competent at driving, whereas both sexes seem to agree that men have good driving skills. Among most age groups, three characteristics associated with men drivers (confidence, speed and pleasure of driving) and four characteristics associated with female drivers (caution, civil, compliance with rules and vigilance) emerged as central in the SR. The SR associated with men drivers appeared to be stable and shared across age groups, whereas the SR associated with women drivers appeared more mixed, heterogeneous and unstable with age. Female participants with higher SES consider women drivers as more incompetent, less prudent and more lacking self-control than female participants with lower SES.     

Drive for leanness and health-related behavior within a social/cultural perspective

We examined relationships between drive for leanness and perceived media pressure to change appearance, internalization of an ideal physique, exercise frequency, and dieting. Men and women (N = 353) completed the Drive for Leanness Scale, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and a demographic inventory. Drive for leanness was significantly correlated with athletic internalization (.52), pressure to attain an ideal physique (.25), exercise frequency (.36), and dieting (.25). Structural equation modeling revealed a good fitting model (χ² = 2.85, p < .241; CFI = .99; NNFI = .98; RMSEA = .04; SRMR = .02) with internalization predicting drive for leanness, which in turn predicted dieting and exercise. Results reveal social/cultural theory helps enhance the understanding of the drive for leanness and its relationship with health-related behavior.     

Impact of Incredible Years® on teacher perceptions of parental involvement: A latent transition analysis

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) training on teacher perceptions of parental involvement. A cluster randomized design was used to assign 42 classroom teachers to either an IY TCM training (n = 19) or a control condition (n = 23). Teachers rated parental involvement (i.e., bonding with teacher, parental involvement at school) for the families of 805 low income students (IY TCM = 504, control = 301). A latent profile transition analysis framework was used to model the effect of IY TCM on teacher perceptions of parental involvement from pre to posttest. Four profiles consisting of various patterns of high, medium, and low teacher perceptions of bonding with and involvement of parents emerged. Analyses of teacher profiles at baseline revealed teachers who felt parental involvement and bonding was low were also likely to rate students as having more externalizing behaviors, fewer social competencies, more attention deficit symptoms, and disruptive behaviors towards adults and peers compared to teachers with more adaptive profiles. Further analysis revealed that parents of teachers randomly assigned to IY TCM were more likely to transition to a more adaptive view of parental involvement at follow-up compared to teachers in the control condition. Because teacher perceptions of parental involvement may adversely impact teacher attitudes towards difficult students, findings from the present study support the promise of teacher training as an avenue for conferring protections for struggling students.     

Personal values and unsanctioned aggression inherent in contact sports: The role of self-regulatory mechanisms,aggressiveness, and demographic variables

IntroductionTo date, research-examining factors related to the sociocognitive self-regulatory mechanisms governing unsanctioned aggression have received scant attention in applied sport psychology.ObjectiveA mediating model as influenced by various demographic variables was applied to explore the relationships between athletes’ personal values and their unsanctioned aggression directly and indirectly through the mediating role of resistive self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement, and aggressiveness.MethodA sample of 301 French competitors of different age (young: n = 200 and adult: n = 101), gender (male: n = 172 and female: n = 129), type of sport (high: n = 131 and low contact: n = 170), level of competition (beginner: n = 115, intermediate: n = 110, and advanced: n = 76), and length of practice (brief: n = 109, intermediate: n = 49, and extensive: n = 143) completed a questionnaire assessing the aforementioned variables.ResultsStructural equation modelling demonstrates that self-transcendence and self-enhancement values have only indirect negative and positive effects, respectively, on unsanctioned aggression through the full mediating effect of the mediators. Also, age, gender, and type of sport were predictive only of some personal values and mediators.ConclusionThese findings offer evidence that resistive self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement, and aggressiveness are mediators that fully govern the impact of athletes’ personal values and certain demographic variables on their unsanctioned aggression. Several limitations, implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

The relationship between physical appearance concerns,disgust, and anti-fat prejudice

This study examined relationships between physical appearance concerns (fear of fat, body image disturbance; BIDQ), disgust, and anti-fat prejudice (dislike, blame), and tested whether disgust mediates relationships between physical appearance concerns and anti-fat prejudice. Participants (N = 1649; age = 28 years) provided demographic data and completed measures of anti-fat prejudice, tendency to feel disgust, and physical appearance concerns. Univariate, multivariate, and mediation analyses were conducted. Univariate and multivariate associations were found between fear of fat, BIDQ, disgust, and anti-fat prejudice for women. For women only, mediation analyses showed that disgust partially mediated relationships between physical appearance concerns and dislike of fat people. For men, univariate and multivariate relationships were found between fear of fat, and dislike and blame of fat people, but disgust was not related to anti-fat prejudice. Newer constructs centering on physical appearance concerns and disgust appear promising candidates for understanding anti-fat prejudice.     

Meta-analytic evidence for higher implicit affiliation and intimacy motivation scores in women,compared to men

We used meta-analysis to test for gender differences in implicit needs for affiliation/intimacy, assessed via story-coding methods. We included thirty-three effect sizes from 26 publications and 2 unpublished studies, covering a total of 5962 research participants (58% female). Across studies, women scored higher than men in measures of implicit affiliation motivation (d¹ = 0.45, 95%CI = [0.37; 0.53]). This finding was not moderated by the coding system used, gender congruence of the picture cues presented, or correction for protocol length. Men and women did not differ in their implicit needs for power (N = 2493, k = 15, d¹ = −0.19, 95%CI = [−0.44; 0.05]) or achievement (N = 2235, k = 13, d¹ = 0.14, 95%CI = [−0.03; 0.30]).     

Machiavellianism and sexual behavior: Motivations,deception and infidelity

The current study investigated the influence of Machiavellianism, a personality trait characterized by a manipulative interpersonal style and willingness to exploit others (Christie & Geis, 1970), on three areas of sexual behavior. Men (N = 90) and women (N = 192) aged 18–81 years (M = 25.82, SD = 9.85) completed the Mach IV (Christie & Geis, 1970), YSEX Questionnaire (Meston & Buss, 2007), Sexual Deception Scale (Marelich, Lundquist, Painter, & Mechanic, 2008) and Intentions Towards Infidelity Scale (Jones, Olderbak, & Figueredo, 2011). Those with high levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in sexual behavior for physical reasons, goal attainment and insecurity. In particular, Machiavellian men and women endorsed stress reduction, experience seeking, resources, social status, revenge, utilitarian reasons, boosting self-esteem, duty/pressure, and mate guarding as motivations for sexual behavior. Machiavellianism was also a significant predictor of each form of sexual deception investigated (blatant lying, self-serving and avoiding confrontation) and intentions to engage in infidelity. Sex did not moderate the influence of Machiavellianism on sexual behavior.     

Understanding non-work presenteeism: Relationships between emotional intelligence,boredom, procrastination and job stress

Non-work related presenteeism refers to the behaviour of employees who engage in personal activities instead of work-related activities whilst at work. Currently, limited research exists concerning non-work related presenteeism, despite the suggestion that it can financially impact organisations more than absenteeism. The aim of the present study was to examine whether any significant relationships existed between non-work related presenteeism and four theoretically linked psychological variables: emotional intelligence (EI), job stress, boredom, and procrastination. Data was collected via an online questionnaire. A sample of 57 male and 127 female full-time employees across several industries and organisations completed the surveys. As hypothesised, a significant relationship was observed between non-work related presenteeism and EI (r = −0.25), boredom (r = 0.33) and procrastination (r = 0.26). Self-reported levels of job stress, however, were not significantly related to non-work related presenteeism. These results suggest that developing EI and improving job-related engagement may decrease non-work presenteeism.     

Mirror,mirror, on the wall,who is the most masculine of them all? The Dark Triad,masculinity, and women’s mate choice

Although the Dark Triad of personality (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) has been researched widely, few studies have looked at women’s preferences for men who are high and low in Dark Triad. Further, it is not clear what the relationships between the Dark Triad and facial masculinity are. We investigated female preference for computer manipulated Dark Triad male faces in two on-line studies (Study 1: n = 125; Study 2: n = 1633). We found that women rated the high psychopathy and narcissistic faces the most masculine (Study 1). We also found that women showed a low preference for the high morphs in both long and short term relationships, and that preference for masculinity was correlated with a preference for narcissism (Study 2). We discuss the results in terms of male and female mating strategies.     

Intelligence and semen quality are positively correlated

Human cognitive abilities inter-correlate to form a positive matrix, from which a large first factor, called ‘Spearman's g’ or general intelligence, can be extracted. General intelligence itself is correlated with many important health outcomes including cardio-vascular function and longevity. However, the important evolutionary question of whether intelligence is a fitness-related trait has not been tested directly, let alone answered. If the correlations among cognitive abilities are part of a larger matrix of positive associations among fitness-related traits, then intelligence ought to correlate with seemingly unrelated traits that affect fitness—such as semen quality. We found significant positive correlations between intelligence and 3 key indices of semen quality: log sperm concentration (r = .15, p = .002), log sperm count (r = .19, p < .001), and sperm motility (r = .14, p = .002) in a large sample of US Army Veterans. None was mediated by age, body mass index, days of sexual abstinence, service in Vietnam, or use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or hard drugs. These results suggest that a phenotype-wide fitness factor may contribute to the association between intelligence and health. Clarifying whether a fitness factor exists is important theoretically for understanding the genomic architecture of fitness-related traits, and practically for understanding patterns of human physical and psychological health.     

Personality measured as Murray’s psychological needs and all-cause mortality: 41 years of follow-up of a population-based sample

ObjectiveTo examine the associations between personality traits, measured as Murray’s psychological needs, and mortality over 41 years.MethodWe used a general population sample aged 18–65 (n = 1094) examined in 1970 according to the Cesarec-Marke Personality Schedule (eleven traits) linked to mortality data. Internal associations were examined using factor analysis, and their associations with mortality using Cox proportional hazard regression models.ResultsDuring follow-up, 513 persons died. In men aged 26–45, achievement and affiliation predicted increased mortality: HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.04–1.36 and HR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.33 per step on a stanine scale. In men aged 18–25, nurturance was protective: HR = 0.77, 95% CI, 0.64–0.98 per stanine. In women aged 18–25, feelings of guilt increased the risk of mortality, while dominance was protective: HR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.09–1.75, and HR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.55–0.99 per stanine, respectively. In women aged 46–65, exhibition increased the risk of mortality: HR = 1.09, 95% CI, 1.00–1.18 per stanine. There were no significant associations when all age groups were combined.ConclusionsPersonality traits, measured as Murray’s needs, associated with mortality, but the differed according to age at assessment and sex.