Arousal and Valence in the Direct Scaling of Emotional Response to Film Clips

Contributions of differential attention to valence versus arousal (Feldman, 1995) in self-reported emotional response may be difficult to observe due to (1)confounding of valence and arousal in the labeling of rating scales, and (2) the assumption of an interval scale type. Ratings of emotional response to film clips (Ekman, Friesen, & Ancoli, 1980) were reanalyzed as categorical (nominal) in scale type using consensus analysis. Consensus emerged for valence-related scales but not for arousal scales. Scales labeled Interest and Arousal produced a distribution of idiosyncratic responses across the scale, whereas scales labeled Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, Surprise, and Pain, produced consensual response. Magnitude of valenced response varied with both stimulus properties and self-reported arousal.     

A Reconsideration of the Structure of the Emotion Lexicon

This study replicated a pile sort task involving 135 emotion terms originally presented by Shaver, Schwartz, Kirson, and O'Connor (1987) with a slight change in procedures, from an unconstrained single-sort task to a constrained successive-sort task, made necessary by methodological problems during their data analysis. Subjects (86 male and female undergraduates) were asked to assign names to their piles during the successive stages of sorting. This change produced a hierarchical cluster analysis solution supporting interpretations other than the prototype structure found by Shaver et al. Decision criteria reported by subjects during sorting were described and revealed dimensions reported by previous investigators, suggesting that this is a viable method of determining dimensions important in distinguishing emotion terms. Nancy Alvarado is now at the Center for Human Information Processing     

Onset and Terminal Sensations in Out-of-Body Experiences

Total daily crisis calls were recorded over a 3-year period in Vancouver. Data from the first 2 years were examined using spectral analysis and regression analysis on sine and cosine functions of time to determine if periodicities existed over the time interval under consideration. Strong weekly, annual, and semiweekly cycles and weak monthly, semiannual, bimonthly, and 4-monthly cycles were uncovered. Very weak lunar relationships with the anomalistic cycle, half-synodic, and sidereal were also found. These lunar relationships were not consistent with beliefs in folklore or tradition. Data from the 3rd year were predicted with models with and without lunar variables. The addition of lunar variables was found to add nothing to the predictive value and, in fact, slightly worsened the predictions.     

Reexamining Nonlinear Structural Equation Modeling Procedures: The Effect of Parallel and Congeneric Measures

The current study examines the performance of the extended unconstrained approach (EXUC) and the latent moderated structural equation modeling procedure (LMS) in situations where quadratic and interaction terms are tested simultaneously and investigates their limitations with regard to the employment of parallel and congeneric measures, relatively low indicator reliabilities, and relatively large numbers of indicators. By means of a Monte Carlo study, we found LMS to be the best option for testing multiple nonlinear effects given sufficient sample size (n ≥ 500) and normally distributed exogenous variables. Its advantages became more prominent when indicator reliabilities were heterogeneous and small. The EXUC was a viable option for estimating the model when indicators were parallel and exhibited large indicator reliabilities. An empirical example of the results is provided, and the relevance of measurement model characteristics to assess nonlinear relationships is discussed.     

Family-strengthening approaches for the prevention of youth problem behaviors

Effective parenting is the most powerful way to reduce adolescent problem behaviors. Dissemination of research-based family interventions has been slow, with most practitioners still implementing ineffective programs. This article reviews 2 federal studies that involved national searches for effective family interventions targeting pre-birth to adolescence: Preventing Substance Abuse Among Children and Adolescents: Family-Centered Approaches (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1998) and Strengthening America's Families (R. Alvarado, K. L. Kumpfer, K. Kendall, S. Beesley, & C. Lee-Cavaness, 2000). Results identified 3 effective prevention approaches, 13 principles of effectiveness, and 35 programs. Recommendations include increased dissemination research on training and technical assistance systems, adoption with fidelity and quality, and gender-, age-, and culturally sensitive adaptations.     

Evaluation of a Spanish version of the Buss and Perry aggression questionnaire: Some personal and situational factors related to the aggression scores of young subjects

The psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the Buss and Perry aggression questionnaire adapted for pre-adolescents and adolescents have been studied. A maximum-likelihood confirmatory factor analysis corroborates Buss and Perry’s four-factor structure. The internal consistency of each factor and of the total score has proved to be satisfactory. The four factors are more closely interrelated in pre-adolescents than in adolescents.A second aim of this work has been to further our understanding of the possible relationship between aggression scores and certain outside-school activities of the subjects studied. Two thousand two hundred and eight students filled in the questionnaire together with a self-report concerning their habits. The results show that the aggression scores rise concomitantly with time spent watching television and playing video games and decrease the greater the time devoted to extra-curricular reading or moderate amounts of homework. Statistically significant differences relating to age and gender were also found.     

Do Mindsets Shape Students’ Well-Being and Performance?

“Mindsets (or implicit theories) are people’s lay beliefs about the nature of human attributes, such as intelligence or personality”. Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is an unchangeable trait, whereas those with a growth mindset think of it as a malleable quality that can be increased and developed. This study explored the relationships among growth mindset, wellbeing, and performance in a sample of 1,240 students from a multi-campus private university located in 18 states across Mexico. Our results indicated that individuals who scored high in growth (vs. fixed) mindset showed increased levels of wellbeing and also performed better in school. Furthermore, we found that wellbeing mediated the relationship between growth mindset and performance and that the effect of growth mindset on grades was higher among younger students. These findings have interesting implications for psychology and education.     

Facial expressions,smile types,and self-report during humour,tickle, and pain

The nature of ticklish smiling and the possible emotional state that accompanies it have been pondered since the ancient Greeks. The present study is arguably the first to systematically examine facial behaviour and self-reports of emotion in response to tickling. Using a within-participants design, 84 participants' responses to being tickled were compared to their responses when experiencing a painful stimulus and their responses to comedy. Overall results for both self-report and facial action coding showed that the tickle condition elicited both pleasure and displeasure. Facial action during tickling included “Duchenne” smiles plus movements associated with negative emotions. Results suggest that tickle-induced smiling can be dissociated from positive affect. Accounts of tickle are discussed.