Uncontrollability versus perceived failure as determinants of subsequent performance deficits

An experiment is reported that attempted to dissociate the effects of uncontrollability from those of failure in the standard learned helplessness induction procedure involving instrumental tasks. The task was administered to both university and high school students. The primary finding was a grade by controllability interaction, whereby uncontrollability had a larger effect for university students who became much more helpless. Further analysis revealed that while controllability or uncontrollability was the main determinant of university student performance, the performance of the high school students depended primarily upon success or failure. Perhaps we have previously generalized too widely from a restricted subject population.     

Classical conditioning and socialization—A biosocial interaction

While Eysenck (1977) has argued that socialization is in part determined by classical conditioning, there is little difinitive evidence to support this hypothesis. Close inspection of investigations carried out to date reveal most to contain conceptual or methodological flaws which invalidate their results as a strict test of Eysenck's theory. An attempt was made to circumvent these problems by testing Eysenck's undersocialization-poor conditionability prediction on a sample of 101 15-year-old male schoolchildren using self-report and teacher rating measures of socialization in conjuction with skin conductance measures of classical conditioning. This study also investigated the more specific hypothesis that biological predispositional factors are of particular relevance in determining antisocial conduct in the higher social classes (Mednick et al., 1977).Results of the first analysis provided no support for Eysenck's theory. In a second analysis an undersocialization-poor conditionability relationship was uncovered in the high-class children, a relationship which was reversed in the low classes. This result contradicts Eysenck's general prediction, is not readily interpretable by Mednick's analysis, but is explained by Eysenck's suggestion that in more criminogenic environments, superior conditionability facilities antisocial behaviour. These results suggest that the interaction between conditionability and social milieu needs to play a much more central role in the explanation of antisocial conduct than hitherto.     

Recognition memory for prose items in noise

Using a probe-recognition technique the signal detection theory parameters d' and Beta were estimated for three types of probe (common surnames, uncommon surnames and synonyms) for material contained in a prose passage. Subjects were presented with the prose passage either in the presence of noise (85dBA) or in quiet (60dBA). In two experiments the effects of noise on auditory and visual presentation of the passage were studied. In both cases the recognition test took place in quiet. Noise decreased values of Beta for rare names and increased Beta for common names in both auditory and visual versions of the task. Noise influenced d' values in the auditory version only, with d' increasing for common names in loud noise. The results support the view that noise influences performance by disturbing the pigeon-holing mechanism with the qualification that when material may not be recapitulated (as in the auditory presentation in the present study) greater attention may be allocated to easily recognizable material. The findings give little support to theories of noiseinduced deficits in performance based on the masking of inner speech.     

Attributions of stability and relevance of personality traits

This experiment tested a number of hypotheses derived from trait theory, attribution theory and interactional psychology. Forty subjects rated the stability and relevance of 60 pre-selected traits of three role-related people and themselves in four specific social situations. The traits were categorized beforehand in terms of their structural, motivational and content properties, and whether they were positive or negative. There was a significant difference in the perceived stability of positive and negative traits between liked and disliked people; positive traits being seen as significantly more stable in liked people and less stable in disliked people. However, subjects did not attribute significantly less stability to their own behavioural traits than to those of others in the same situations. It was also demonstrated that trait labels are seen to be differentially relevant for describing people in different social situations. The results are discussed in terms of the work on stability and cross-situational consistency in trait and attribution theory and person-situation research.     

SOCIAL DIFFICULTY IN THREE CULTURES

An extended, piloted, version of the Bryant and Trower (1974) Social Situations Questionnaire was administered in Natal, South Africa, to nurses from three cultural groups: African, Indian and European, who were matched in terms of age, sex, education, occupation, and language competence. There was a significant difference between the three groups' self-reported social difficulty with the Europeans (Whites) expressing least social difficulty and the Africans (Blacks) most. Discriminant analysis revealed the items which showed most differences in the réponse between the three groups. The similarities and differences between the cultural groups in self-reported social difficulty are discussed within the context of their sociopolitical and cultural experience, and socialization. Implications for cross-cultural research in social skills are noted.     

Combination treatment of malignant brain tumors. Results of initial experiences

First experiences with the combined treatment of malignant gliomas (29 cases) are presented in connection with the results reported in literature. The cytostatic therapy has been carried out according to the modified Israel-Scheme of Heiss et al. Using the combined treatment (resection of tumor, radiotherapy and polychemotherapy) a prolongation of survival time to 55 till 80 weeks is noticeable. The patients observed in our study survived on an average 79,8 weeks (operation and chemotherapy) resp. 94,7 weeks (operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy). Special problems of the cytostatic therapy of malignant brain tumors are considered, among others in relation to the blood-brain-barrier and the tumorcell-kinetics; a further optimation of therapy is necessary.     

Attitudes,knowledge, and use of alcohol in university students

This paper investigated attitudes towards alcohol, knowledge of alcohol, parents drinking behaviour, reasons for drinking and television viewing habits varied in relation to actual drinking behaviour. A sample of 106 University students completed a questionnaire which enabled their classification as non, light, medium and heavy drinkers on the basis of their self-reported consumption levels. Results revealed 9% to be non-drinkers, 22% to be light, 38% to be moderate and 31% to be heavy. They also showed that alcohol drinking habits differed significantly with age, sex, smoking habits and in particular with parents drinking habits. Alcohol drinking habits also differed significantly with knowledge of alcohol, heavier drinkers being found to have a better overall knowledge, but reasons for drinking and attitudes towards drinking did not show any overall difference between the drinking habit categories. Finally, there was no indication that television viewing independently contributed to alcohol beliefs, knowledge, attitudes or habits. The results are discussed in terms of future research implications.     

Actual and perceived attitudes of wheelchair users

The sub-section of the disabled population who use a wheelchair has largely been neglected in the research Concerned with attitudes towards people with a disability. This study had two aims: firstly, to compare the attitudes towards wheelchair users of able-bodied people with people who actually use a wheelchair, and secondly, to examine the difference between how each group perceives the attitudes of the other towards this condition. The results revealed a number of interesting differences between the expressed attitudes of the two groups, although their overall mean scores were comparable. The wheelchair user group were found to believe non-disabled people to hold more negative attitudes than they actually expressed. A few age and sex differences were found, as well as a number of differences depending on whether the respondents had congenital or acquired disabilities. Finally, the amount of contact with those using wheelchairs was found to be associated with slightly more realistic attitudes among the non-disabled respondents. The results are discussed in the light of previous research, and possible reasons for, and ways to counter, the lack of empathy between the two groups are considered.