Dyadic interactions in accepted and rejected children

Forty same-sex dyads were separated into three groups (accepted, rejected, and mixed status) on the basis of their scores on the likability and rejection scales of the Pupil Evaluation Inventory [Pekarik, E.,et al. (1976).Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 4, 83–97]. These dyads participated in a 10-min videotaped interaction which was separated into three segments: waiting period, cooperative task, and conversational period. Observational recordings of six micro behaviors (talk time, gestures, gaze, smiles, orientation, and laughs), as well as ratings of physical attractiveness and speech volume (loudness) and observational counts of cooperation were obtained from these tapes. These data were subjected to a 2 (sex) × 3 (status) × 3 (segment) MANOVA, with sex and status as between-group factors and segment as a within-group factor. The results indicated a number of significant multivariate effects. Univariate tests for attractiveness, speech volume, and cooperation measures indicated a significant status effect for the variable of intensity. These results are interpreted in terms of the developmental literature on social behavior, as well as the data on face-to-face interactions provided by S. D. Duncan and D. W. Fiske [(1977).Face to face interaction: Research methods, and theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum]. Suggestions for future research are offered.The authors wish to thank the principals, parents and children of Clinton Central Elementary, Frontier Elementary, and Western Elementary Schools for their help and participation in this project. We would also like to express our gratitude to Judith Conger, Patricia Moisan-Thomas, Judith Dygdon, and all other members of the research team who contributed their time and effort to this project.     

On retrieving analogues when solving problems

After criticism of the precision of previous experimental procedures for testing analogue retrieval, a new procedure that overcomes the proposed inadequacies is described. This procedure is then employed in two experiments that test aspects of the general hypothesis that base analogues that are semantically remote from a target problem (Duncker's radiation problem) are more difficult to retrieve than those that are semantically closer. Experiment 1 confirmed this hypothesis by finding that remote analogues are seldom retrieved relative to literal analogues. The results of Experiment 2 falsified the hypothesis that analogue retrieval is solely due to the recognition of an “identical element”. Finally, an ad hoc model of analogue retrieval is proposed based on Schank's dynamic memory theory, and its consistency with the evidence and more general implications are considered.     

The Use of the MMPI-2 Infrequency–Psychopathology Scale in the Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Male Veterans

This study evaluated the use of the F_P (Infrequency–Psychopathology) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 (MMPI-2) as a measure of symptom overreporting among 423 service-seeking male veterans with and without PTSD. Results were consistent with several predictions based on the logic of the F_P scale. F_P produced lower scores for PTSD and non-PTSD patients than the other two MMPI-2 measures of infrequent responding; F and F_B. F_P also resulted in fewer invalid protocols than did F or F_B. Finally, F_P yielded lower correlations with MMPI-2 and other measures of psychopathology than did F or F_B. Consistent with previous studies, compensation-seeking status was associated with extreme elevations across clinical and validity scales. Contrary to previous findings, however, compensation-seeking veterans were also more likely to receive a PTSD diagnosis. Implications for the relationship between compensation seeking and symptom overreporting are discussed.     

Evaluation of Service‐Learning‐Infused Courses With Refugee Families

This study evaluated the impact of service‐learning‐infused courses on multicultural competence and social justice advocacy skills among counseling students. The project, in which students acted as job coaches for refugee families, was integrated into 1st‐ and 2nd‐year counseling courses. Results indicated an increase in multicultural knowledge and advocacy skills, with greater changes reported among 1st‐year students. Implications for counselor training, including placement of service‐learning projects within the counseling curriculum, are discussed. Este estudio evaluó el impacto de cursos con elementos de aprendizaje por medio del servicio en la competencia multicultural y las habilidades de defensoría de justicia social entre estudiantes de consejería. El projecto, en el cual los estudiantes proporcionaron orientación laboral a familias de refugiados, estaba integrado en cursos de consejería de primer y segundo año. Los resultados indicaron un aumento del conocimiento multicultural y las habilidades de defensoría, con mayores cambios comunicados por los estudiantes de primer año. Se discuten las implicaciones para la formación de consejeros, incluyendo la inserción de projectos de aprendizaje por medio del servicio en el currículum de consejería.     

Maternal Behavior and Children's Early Emotion Regulation Skills Differentially Predict Development of Children's Reactive Control and Later Effortful Control

The role of maternal behavior and children's early emotion regulation skills in the development of children's reactive control, specifically behavioral impulsivity, and later effortful control was examined in a sample of 435 children. HLM analyses indicated significant growth in reactive control across the toddlerhood to early childhood period. Emotion regulation at age-2 positively predicted initial levels of children's reactive control abilities while maternal overcontrol/intrusiveness predicted lower levels of reactive control growth. Maternal behaviors at age-2 predicted children's effortful control abilities at age-5.5. Emotion regulation did not predict effortful control abilities. Maternal behavior and children's early emotion regulation skills may differentially facilitate the development of reactive and effortful control abilities.     

A model of plausibility

Plausibility has been implicated as playing a critical role in many cognitive phenomena from comprehension to problem solving. Yet, across cognitive science, plausibility is usually treated as an operationalized variable or metric rather than being explained or studied in itself. This article describes a new cognitive model of plausibility, the Plausibility Analysis Model (PAM), which is aimed at modeling human plausibility judgment. This model uses commonsense knowledge of concept-coherence to determine the degree of plausibility of a target scenario. In essence, a highly plausible scenario is one that fits prior knowledge well: with many different sources of corroboration, without complexity of explanation, and with minimal conjecture. A detailed simulation of empirical plausibility findings is reported, which shows a close correspondence between the model and human judgments. In addition, a sensitivity analysis demonstrates that PAM is robust in its operations.     

Life Satisfaction and Political Participation: Evidence from the United States

Are people who are more satisfied with their lives more likely to participate in politics? Although the literature on political participation in the United States is one of the most theoretically and methodologically developed in political science, little research has sought to incorporate subjective life satisfaction into models of political participation. Instead, life satisfaction has been studied nearly exclusively as a dependent variable. By turning to life satisfaction as an independent variable, we contribute to the literatures on both political participation and life satisfaction. Using survey data, we find that individuals who are more satisfied with their lives are more likely to turn out to vote and participate in the political process through other avenues, and that the magnitude of this relationship rivals that of education. We also find that the relationship between life satisfaction and political participation is confined to “non-conflictual” forms of participation, and exhibits no relationship with the decision to engage in political protest.     

The European and Member States’ Approaches to Regulating Nanomaterials: Two Levels of Governance

The nanotechnologies and nanomaterials sector is a huge and growing industry. The amount of legislation already in place and still to be produced in order to regulate it will be very substantial. What process is used to produce such regulation? The answer is that very diverse regulatory approaches are and will be used. The approach taken by the European Commission diverges from the one taken by the European Parliament. Moreover, at national level, Member States add their own contribution to the process. This article attempts to describe the landscape and various regulatory actions that have been undertaken by all these actors in the European Union. It first describes the role played by the European Commission and Parliament. It then looks at specific regulatory initiatives from a more sectoral perspective: Cosmetics, Food information, Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Biocides. The third part of the paper describes some major national initiatives, in particular those concerning the establishment of reporting systems for nanomaterials, mixtures, articles and consumer products containing them, as an example of how to improve the current governance in the EU and to prevent the risks to human health and the environment. The fourth part gives the perspective of the European Trade Union Confederation. Finally it presents some conclusions and policy recommendations, taking into consideration the diversity of regulatory approaches.     

Similarities and differences between MMPI and MMPI-2 applications to the assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder

The purpose of this study was to address the question: Is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) comparable to the original MMPI in its applicability to the assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Vietnam combat veterans? The question was addressed by administering both the original MMPI and MMPI-2 to 29 subjects classified as meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.; DSM-III-R) criteria for PTSD and comparing MMPI and MMPI-2 scores in terms of: degree of association, code-type congruence, diagnostic hit rates (when compared to two other clinical samples, and one normal sample), and congruence of the Keane PTSD Scale (PK). Results reveal highly significant correlations between MMPI and MMPI-2 basic scales for the PTSD sample as well as congruence in 2-point codes comparable to previous studies. The MMPI-2 was found to identify effectively PTSD subjects from the other groups. Results also showed a high degree of association between the MMPI and MMPI-2 in regard to PK scores, although minor differences were found in PK raw scores between the two tests. Overall, the findings suggest a high degree of comparability between the MMPI and MMPI-2 in the assessment of PTSD.