The good,the bad and the mad: Response bias in self-report measures

This study set out to examine the susceptibility of five extensively used, self-report measures to response set bias. Subjects were requested either to fake good, (give a good impression), fake bad, (give a bad impression), fake mad, (give an impression of mental instability) or respond honestly. Subjects who faked good had significantly higher Extraversion, Lie and Social Desirability scores but lowest Neuroticism, Psychoticism and Social Anxiety scores. Subjects who faked bad had significantly lower Extraversion and higher Psychoticism and Social Anxiety scores. Fake mad subjects scored higher on Self-Monitoring and Locus of Control. Four of the eight scales showed significant differences between subjects faking bad and those faking mad. The results are discussed in terms of questionnaire design and respondent's motivation.     

Neuroticism and the recall of positive and negative personality information

Recent investigations have shown that high-N scorers preferentially process negative information about themselves. The present experiment investigated: (1) whether this effect is related to, or independent of, the well-established effects of depressed mood on information processing; (2) whether the effect is specific to self-referent information or extends also to information about others; and (3) the mechanism by which the effect occurs. High-N scorers, compared to low-N scorers, recalled more negative information about themselves but not about others, and this effect was independent of depression. In addition, the positive self-referent, but not other-referent, personality information recalled by high-N scorers was more extremely positive than that recalled by low-N scorers. Detailed examination of the data provided evidence that the idiosyncracy in information processing associated with high neuroticism is one of selective attention. The findings are discussed in relation to cognitive vulnerability to depression, certain cognitive-therapy procedures and the effects that a therapeutically-induced change in neuroticism is likely to have on an individual's memory for past emotional experiences.     

Response bias in self-report measures of general health

This study set out to examine the susceptability of two widely used, self-report, psychiatric inventories to response set bias. Subjects were requested to either fake well (physically and psychologically fit), fake psychologically ill, fake physically ill or respond honestly on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Langner Scale of Distress (L-22). Predictably subjects who faked well had significantly lower scores than either of the other two experimental groups, however there was no difference between the Fake Well and Control group on the GHQ total or the Somatic and Depression scales. Subjects who faked psychologically ill showed 4 out of 11 significant differences between those who faked physically ill. All of the comparisons between the two Fake Ill groups, and the Well and Control groups, were statistically significant the former reporting higher incidences of distress than the latter. The results are discussed in terms of questionnaire design, subject motivation and alternative methods of assessing mental health.     

The relationship of personality to antisocial and neurotic behaviours as observed by teachers

Eight hundred and eight children in normal schools between the ages of 7 and 16 yr were rated on Rutter's Teachers' Rating Scale, and completed the EPQ giving Psychoticism (P), Extraversion (E), Neuroticism (N) and Lie (L). The children also reported on their own misbehaviour and social attitudes. Children exhibiting Antisocial behaviours were markedly high on P; also scoring low on L, and reporting non-conforming behaviour and attitudes. Children showing Neurotic behaviours did not have particularly distinctive personality scores, but were rather extraverted and conforming (high L). There was no relationship between Neuroticism as a disorder and Neuroticism as a personality trait. It is suggested that the P scale might usefully assist in the detection of antisocially disturbed children or in the selection of ‘high risk’ groups.     

A six orthogonal factor model of adolescent personality derived from the HSPQ

Attention is drawn to recent major critiques of Cattell's ‘16 PF’ model of personality. Various six/seven-factor models of personality (assuming intelligence is included) derived from the 16 PF or its precursors are described. The equation of Eysenck's E and N factors with Cattell's second-order factors of ‘exvia’ and ‘anxiety’ is mentioned. An examination is made of the problems of factored scale construction and the ‘number of factors’ issue, especially when item responses are analysed.Three previous second-order factor solutions to the HSPQ are presented. These show a remarkable degree of concordance among themselves and with an item analysis of the HSPQ conducted by the writers. This item analysis also reveals serious doubts about the primary trait structure proposed by Cattell and Cattell (1969). It is suggested that, for adolescents, the four studies, with some support from the 16 PF analyses, point to a six-factor structure for personality consisting of anxiety ( = Eysenck's N); tender-tough-mindedness ( = Eysenck's Psychoticism); carefulness-casualness and two aspects of extraversion-introversion: (a) preference for working with people rather than with things. (b) Classical extraversion (the last or both (a) and (b) being analogous to Eysenck's E) and finally intelligence, if this can be classified as an aspect of personality.     

Agoraphobia in women: factor analysis of symptoms and personality correlates of factor scores in a clinical population

One hundred and sixty female patients with a DSM-III diagnosis of agoraphobia completed a measure of fears and general symptoms (FSS) and personality (HDHQ). Many patients had significant psychological symptoms in addition to their agoraphobia. FSS scores were factor analysed. First-order analysis revealed agoraphobia as a heterogeneous clinical entity occurring independently of a large General Symptoms factor which included panic attacks. Second-order analysis revealed a General Symptoms/Social Phobia factor and a well-defined but heterogeneous Agoraphobia factor comprising the lower-order factors Claustrophobia, Travel Fears and Agoraphobia (fear of crowded public places). Correlations of first- and second-order factors with HDHQ scores showed that the Travel Fears factor was not associated with abnormal personality traits, whereas the Claustrophobia and Agoraphobia factors were. This suggested that travel fears should respond well to behaviour therapy per se, whereas additional treatment aimed at modifying abnormal personality traits may sometimes be indicated for claustrophobia and fear of crowded places. The heterogeneous nature of agoraphobia and the large size of the independent General Symptoms factor underlined the desirability of a multi-modal approach to treatment and research.     

Development of a rating scale to measure social skills in children: The matson evaluation of social skills with youngsters (MESSY)

The development of a scale for assessing social skills with children is reported. The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) was completed on 744 children between 4 and 18 years of age. A self-report form was completed on 422 children while 322 children were rated on a teacher-report measure using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Analyses included test-retest reliability conducted at a 2-week interval using Pearson correlations, factor-analytic procedures and selected analyses of variance and appropriate post-hoc tests. Implications of present findings and directions for future research are discussed.     

Type a personality: Correlations with personality variables and nonverbal emotional expressions during interpersonal competition

Facial and other nonverbal behaviors of 52 male and female participants in an interpersonal anagrams competition were correlated with a variety of self-report personality measures. Facial expressions suggestive of negative affect were significantly positively correlated with the Framingham Type A scale and the Job Involvement and Hard-Driving subscales of the Jenkins Activity Survey. A composite nonverbal index correlated significantly with Framingham Type A, Jenkins Job Involvement and the Extraversion scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. The pattern of correlations between the nonverbal and personality measures supported the view that Type A individuals are characterized by both self-reports of and facial expression of more anger/hostility than are Type B individuals.     

The influence of introversion-extraversion on activity choice and satisfaction among the elderly

The present study investigated the optimum theory of aging. This theory predicts that individuals with different personality types will react differentially to the aging process. In the present study, 60 nursing-home residents were administered the Eysenck Personality Inventory and then randomly assigned to one of two experimental manipulations. Elderly subjects classified as extraverts showed a high level of satisfaction to an experimental manipulation which was of a high activity, interpersonal type; those classified as introverts evidenced more satisfaction with a low activity, non-interpersonal type manipulation. Inspection of records documenting actual participation in programs within the nursing home indicated that introverts were more often involved in low activity, non-interpersonal events whereas extraverts participated more often in high activity, interpersonal events. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to the optimum theory of aging.     

The assessment of depression in children: The internal structure of the child depression inventory (CDI)

In the present report three separate studies of childhood depression were conducted. First, the internal structure of the Child Depression Inventory (CDI), with 216 children representing various ethnic groups with equal numbers of boys and girls, was evaluated through a factor analysis and by various internal-reliability measures (e.g. split-half reliabilities, Pearson correlations of each item to the total score). Four factors were established and internal reliability of the scale proved to be high. The relationship of the factor structure of the CDI to Kendell's Type A and B categorization of depression are discussed. In Study 2 the relationship of demographic variables to the CDI using the same group of children described for Study 1 was employed. Evaluating the characteristics of depression across age, sex and so on in children has not been frequently studied, and was deemed appropriate for the present investigation. Age proved to be a significant factor in depression scores although race and gender did not. With respect to age, older children tended to display more symptomatology. Comparisons of depressed children to nondepressed children also showed that age was a factor in the obtained scores, and range of severity in both groups. Depressed children differed from nondepressed children on all 27 items indicating that all the items on the CDI seem to be measuring a unitary concept. Study 3 compared CDI scores to a measure of social behavior, the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngster (MESSY). Seventy-six children (36 girls and 40 boys), ages 4–10 yrs $\text{(}\text{X}\text{?}\text{= 7)}$ were evaluated. Appropriate Social Skills was negatively correlated with childhood depression, and Inappropriate Impulsive/Assertiveness was positively correlated with depressive features described under the factor Guilt/Irritability. The implications of these data for further research on assessment, differential diagnosis and evaluation of treatment research are discussed.     

The factor structure of the state-trait anxiety inventory for children: Kindergarten through the fourth grades

The A-State and A-Trait scales of Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) were administered to a total of 1786 kindergarten, 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-grade disadvantaged black children. For the K-2 groups, the STAIC A-State scale was administered twice; it was administered only once in the 3rd–4th grades. The A-Trait scale was administered once to all 10 groups of children. A series of factor analyses, computed separately by sex and grade level, identified 3 factors: trait anxiety and 2 distinct state anxiety factors corresponding to the anxiety-present and anxiety-absent content of the A-State items. Similar 3-factor patterns were observed for both males and females for all five grade levels. Other factor solutions were examined but considered less satisfactory in terms of simple structure and psychological meaningfulness. The results were interpreted as providing strong evidence for the state-trait distinction in anxiety research with children.     

The relationship between assertion and sociometric status of children

A correlational study was conducted in an effort to examine the relationship between children's level of assertive skill and their social (sociometric) status. The Ss were 15 male and 15 female elementary school children ranging in age from 9 to 11 yr. Each S was administered: (a) positive and negative peer nominations and roster and rating scale sociometrics; (b) self-report questionnaires concerning their assertive behavior; and (c) standardized interviews to assess knowledge of assertive behavior. In addition, teachers' ratings of children's interpersonal behavior were obtained. Results indicated some degree of correspondence between assertion indices and sociometric ratings. However, correlation coefficients generally were in the low-to-moderate range. Also, several scales from children's self-report and teacher's ratings of children's assertive behavior differentiated high- and low-popular children. Results are discussed in terms of: (1) the utility of employing multiple criteria in assessing social functioning of children; and (2) the need to determine empirically the relevance of assertive and other interpersonal skills in childrens' social repertoires.     

The reduction of anxiety in children: a comparison of the effects of 'systematic desensitization in vitro' and 'systematic desensitization in vivo'

Twenty-four children between the ages of 5 and 10. selected on the basis of fear of water, as determined by parents and swimming teachers, were divided into two experimental groups and one control group. One of the experimental groups was treated with four sessions of in vitro desensitization (gradual imaginal exposure to fear evoking stimuli plus relaxation), followed by four sessions of in vivo desensitization (real-life exposure to fear evoking stimuli plus relaxation). The other group received eight sessions of in vivo desensitization. The control group took part only in the tests, which were administered at the commencement of treatment, after four sessions, and at the end of the course of treatments. In testing, a behavior observation record was used to score the subject's behavior in the given situation; in addition, two teacher's records were used, in which swimming teachers recorded their evaluation of the subject's anxiety in each situation.Better results were achieved by desensitization in vivo than by desensitizalion in vitro or by the control procedure. No differences were found between the latter two groups. It could not be demonstrated that desensitization in vitro increased the effectiveness of subsequent desensitization in vivo     

The evidence for interactionism in psychology : A critical analysis of the situation-response inventories

A great deal of the evidence for interactionism in personality psychology arose out of the situation-response (S-R) studies of which there are now over 30. This paper examines closely the evidence for traitism, situationism and interactionism that arises from these studies. Nearly all of the published studies are tabulated, reanalysed and detailed criticisms of the more influential papers are offered. Serious problems are apparent in the methodology and analyses of these studies as well as in the conclusions drawn from them. It is argued that these studies have brought as much confusion as clarity to an area of research bedevilled by both conceptual and methodological problems.     

The effects of control and lack of control on active and passive avoidance in rhesus monkeys

Most studies which have examined the effects of lack of control have utilized test tasks in which active responding is required, and generally they have found impaired learning. Those few studies which have required passive responding in the test task generally have found facilitation of learning. The present two experiments examined the effects of lack of control in both active and passive avoidance tasks in a primate species (Macaco mulatta) not previously used in this research area. In Experiment 1, although the group without control (IE) tended to be inferior at active and superior at passive avoidance in comparison to the group with control (E), there were no significant differences. In Experiment 2, utilizing a difficult discrimination task in which subjects were required to learn when and when not to respond actively to avoid aversive stimulation, greater group differences were found. Two monkeys from Group IE failed to escape in active avoidance acquisition and, as a whole. Group IE was somewhat slower to respond than Group E. At passive avoidance, however. Group IE was superior to Group E and, as a consequence, more efficiently solved the discrimination problem. Implications of the present results for interpretation of the effects of lack of control as deficits are discussed.     

The influence of psychoticism and extraversion on classical eyelid conditioning using a paraorbital shock UCS

An experiment is described in which the effects of Psychoticism and Extraversion on classical eyelid conditioning were examined using a balanced design involving two levels of paraorbital shock intensity and two levels of response threshold. Questionnaire measures of Anxiety and Impulsivity were also analysed together with subjective ratings of the UCS. Results were broadly consistent with Eysenck's personality theory in that subjects scoring high on Psychoticism demonstrated lower levels of conditioning.     

Mood and the self-reference bias in recall

Hypotheses linking a negative recall bias (or negative self-schema) with vulnerability to depression were tested using an experimental mood-induction task. Extent of bias in student subjects was found to be unstable over a 4-month period, but different measures of memory bias within one session were highly correlated. Marginally significant correlations in the expected direction were found between estimates of recall bias and mood state, whether measured at the same or at different times. Change in mood following induction did not relate to change in bias, suggesting that the observed differences in recall are not a simple function of transient mood state alone. Equally, the initial recall bias did not predict the extent of mood shift following induction, as would be expected if a negative self-schema determined ease of mood shift in a negative direction. However, significant correlations were found between negative recall bias and self-reported frequency and severity of depression, lending equivocal support to the negative self-schema model.     

Return of fear: The role of rehearsal

The assumption was made that return of fear could be brought about by recalling highly fear-provoking material. Two conditions were contrasted in the design, one of which was high- vs low-intensity treatment and the other rehearsal of phobic material vs distraction following treatment. The experimental conditions yielded no significant results at the end of the rehearsal/distribution period. However, a week later at retest, partial return of subjective fear was observed in the ‘distraction’ groups and elevated heart-rates in the high-intensity groups. It was concluded that rehearsal of fear-provoking material following treatment constituted a prolongation of the latter and was therefore therapeutic. Implications of results with regard to within and between-session habituation are discussed.