Webometry: Measuring the complexity of the world wide web

The explosive growth of the WWW may be viewed as the neurogenesis phase in the embryogenesis of a new planetary civilization. To empower this emergent phenomenon with self‐reflection, we propose strategies for the visualization of the complexity of the WWW, seen as a neural net. The pointwise fractal dimension of a massive matrix is the basis of our strategy.     

Can a Neural System Geared to Bring About Rapid,Predictive, and Efficient Function Explain Creativity?

Abstract

Vandervert, Schimpf, and Liu (this issue) have presented a cerebellar model of creativity in the featured article by relating their ideas to processes of working memory in relation to the cerebellum as well as by generalizing the motor control role of the cerebellum to extend to non-motor facets of cognition. In the present article, I discuss the weaknesses of their approach at different levels, ranging from the inadequate definition of the construct under study and the lack of specificity in their claims, to the counterintuitive underlying rationale of their approach, and the inadequate evidence provided to cement their ideas. I end by briefly outlining what would be necessary to propound an account of creativity that is uniquely attributable to cerebellum function.     

An Indicator of Suicidal Ideation on the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test

Hospitalized psychiatric patients responding on the Bender-Gestalt Test with the ‘penetration’ of Design 6 into Design 5, did display significantly more suicidal ideation in the predicted direction than did a matched control group (P < .005). The results were taken to suggest the utility of combining this variable with other predictive criteria derived from Rorschach research to help the clinician make recommendations about suicidally ideated psychiatric patients.     

The pen is mightier than the word: Object priming of evaluative standards

Because red pens are closely associated with error‐marking and poor performance, the use of red pens when correcting student work can activate these concepts. People using red pens to complete a word‐stem task completed more words related to errors and poor performance than did people using black pens (Study 1), suggesting relatively greater accessibility of these concepts. Moreover, people using red pens to correct essays marked more errors (Study 2) and awarded lower grades (Study 3) than people using blue pens. Thus, despite teachers' efforts to free themselves from extraneous influences when grading, the very act of picking up a red pen can bias their evaluations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adaptation of a behavioral parent‐training curriculum for Hispanic caregivers: HOT DOCS Español

This article presents the process utilized to adapt a behavioral parent‐training curriculum for Hispanic caregivers from a program currently available in English. Throughout this process, a number of cultural and language elements were identified as needing to be modified to meet the needs of the Hispanic population served. Fidelity and fit were balanced to develop a curriculum acceptable to diverse Hispanic caregivers while also incorporating all the essential elements of a theory‐based approach to training caregivers. The lessons learned from this adaptation may assist others in their attempts to meet the needs of Hispanic families.     

Characteristics of Successful Direct Support Professionals: An examination of personality and cognitive ability requirements

Service jobs in the health care industry continue to face difficulties in recruiting, selecting, and retaining quality employees. We conducted two studies to examine potential cognitive and personality predictors of job performance, satisfaction, and turnover among direct support professionals (i.e., individuals providing long‐term residential care and support to persons with disabilities). Data from a concurrent validation study was used to create a unit‐weighted combination of agreeableness, conscientiousness, optimism, and numerical ability. This composite predictor was significantly correlated with job performance and job satisfaction. The composite was further supported in a follow‐up predictive validation study of turnover.     

The Impact of Emotional Dissonance on Organizational Commitment and Intention to Turnover

In the workplace, emotional dissonance is the conflict between experienced emotions and emotions expressed to conform to display rules. This study is an empirical examination of the impact of emotional dissonance on organizational criteria and its moderation by self-monitoring and social support. Emotional dissonance was theorized to stimulate turnover intentions, either solely through job dissatisfaction or through both job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment. Job dissatisfaction was found to be the sole mediator. Emotional dissonance resulted in job dissatisfaction, which, in turn, stimulated withdrawal intentions. Self-monitoring and social support exerted moderator effects, albeit in opposing directions. Emotional dissonance aroused feelings of job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment among high self-monitors. In contrast, social support lessened the negative impact of emotional dissonance on organizational commitment.     

Women want taller men more than men want shorter women

Physical characteristics, such as height, play an important role in human mate preferences. Satisfaction with one’s own height and one’s partner height seem likely to be related to these preferences. Using a student sample (N = 650), we show that women are not only more selective, but also more consistent, than men, in their partner height preferences. Women prefer, on average, a larger height difference between themselves and their partner (i.e. males being much taller than themselves) than men do. This effect is even more pronounced when examining satisfaction with actual partner height: women are most satisfied when their partner was 21 cm taller, whereas men are most satisfied when they were 8 cm taller than their partner. Next, using data from our sample and that of a previously published study (N = 52,677), we show that for men, height is more important to the expression of satisfaction with one’s own height than it is for women. Furthermore, slightly above average height women and tall men are most satisfied with their heights. We conclude that satisfaction with one’s own height is at least partly a consequence of the height preference of the opposite sex and satisfaction with one’s partner height.